How do you say “Drive someone up the wall” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is jemanden auf die Palme bringen, which literally means “to bring someone up the palm tree”. English speakers use drive someone up the wall to mean to annoy or frustrate someone intensely. This can sound angrier than English. “Auf die Nerven gehen” suits a milder irritation. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural German
jemanden auf die Palme bringen
/ˈjeːmandn̩ aʊf diː ˈpalmə ˈbʁɪŋən/
- Literal meaning
- “to bring someone up the palm tree”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
90 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
The palm-tree expression fits a strong reaction to something annoying. For a smaller irritation that won't stop, “auf die Nerven gehen” may sound more natural.
“Das bringt mich auf die Palme” means “That drives me up the wall.” The phrase exaggerates anger; it doesn't mean someone actually becomes violent.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context4 out of 5
- Literal similarity2 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in German?
jemandem auf die Nerven gehen
Literally: “to go on someone's nerves”
Especially natural for a repeated irritating habit.
jemanden wahnsinnig machen
Literally: “to make someone mad”
Strong conversational exaggeration; use with care in sensitive contexts.
In context
English
His constant interruptions drive me up the wall.
German
Seine ständigen Unterbrechungen bringen mich auf die Palme.
English
That dripping tap is driving me up the wall.
German
Der tropfende Wasserhahn geht mir furchtbar auf die Nerven.
Related expressions
- What “Drive someone up the wall” means in English
- Fly off the handle, Suddenly lose your temper.
- The last straw, The final problem that makes someone give up.
Last updated 2026-09-16