How do you say “Get down to brass tacks” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is zur Sache kommen, which literally means “to come to the matter”. English speakers use get down to brass tacks to mean to focus on the practical details that matter. A natural German match for moving to the main business. It can also mean getting to the point more quickly. Register: neutral. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural German
zur Sache kommen
/tsuːɐ̯ ˈzaxə ˈkɔmən/
- Literal meaning
- “to come to the matter”
- Register
- neutral
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
92 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
“Kommen wir zur Sache” moves a discussion towards its purpose. Naming the cost or decision afterwards gives it the practical focus of the English.
Said abruptly, it may sound impatient. “Lass uns jetzt zur Sache kommen” is still direct, but makes it a shared next step.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning4 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
Let's get down to brass tacks: how much can we spend on the trip?
German
Kommen wir zur Sache: Wie viel können wir für die Reise ausgeben?
English
After sharing ideas, we got down to brass tacks and chose the dates.
German
Nachdem wir Ideen ausgetauscht hatten, kamen wir zur Sache und legten die Termine fest.
Related expressions
- What “Get down to brass tacks” means in English
- Cut to the chase, Get directly to the main point.
Last updated 2026-11-04