How do you say “Go the extra mile” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is sich besonders ins Zeug legen, which literally means “to put oneself particularly into the harness”. English speakers use go the extra mile to mean to do more than is expected or required. This is the most idiomatic German way to describe making an exceptional effort. While 'die Extrameile gehen' has entered corporate jargon, native speakers naturally prefer this phrase. It is neutral, informal and common in everyday German.
Closest natural German
sich besonders ins Zeug legen
[zɪç bəˈzɔndɐs ɪns ˈt͡sɔɪ̯k ˈleːɡn̩]
- Literal meaning
- “to put oneself particularly into the harness”
- Register
- neutral, informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
90 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
The English idiom 'go the extra mile' originates from the biblical injunction to walk a second mile if compelled to walk one. In modern usage, it praises someone who does considerably more than what duty strictly requires. German captures this spirit of exceptional dedication primarily through 'sich ins Zeug legen', where 'Zeug' historically refers to the pulling harness of draft horses, evoking the image of throwing your entire body into the work.
In recent years, the literal Anglicism 'die Extrameile gehen' has spread rapidly across German offices and LinkedIn feeds. While widely understood and acceptable in modern corporate German, it still sounds like translated jargon to many ears. Outside the office, German speakers naturally lean toward 'sich ins Zeug legen' or 'keine Mühen scheuen' to describe genuine, heartfelt extra effort.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context4 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in German?
die Extrameile gehen
Literally: “to go the extra mile”
A direct loan translation heavily used in corporate and startup contexts, though some find it buzzwordy.
noch eine Schippe drauflegen
Literally: “to add another shovel on top”
Informal idiom meaning to push oneself to deliver even more effort.
über das geforderte Maß hinausgehen
Literally: “to go beyond the required measure”
Formal, ideal for performance reviews and written evaluations.
Don't translate it literally
die extra Meile laufen
Translating 'mile' literally and pairing it with 'laufen' sounds clumsy and unidiomatic outside of a literal running track.
Word-for-word versions like these are understood as literal statements in German, not as expressions.
In context
English
If you want to get promoted here, you have to go the extra mile.
German
Wenn du hier befördert werden willst, musst du dich besonders ins Zeug legen.
English
She always goes the extra mile for her clients.
German
Sie legt sich für ihre Kunden immer besonders ins Zeug.
Related expressions
- What “Go the extra mile” means in English
- Cut corners, To skimp on quality to save time or money.
- Kill two birds with one stone, To solve two problems at once.
Last reviewed 2026-09-11