How do you say “Hit the books” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is büffeln, which literally means “to study hard”. English speakers use hit the books to mean to begin studying seriously. An informal German match for working hard at your studies. It can suggest intensive revision or memorising material. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural German
büffeln
/ˈbʏfl̩n/
- Literal meaning
- “to study hard”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
94 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
“Ich muss büffeln” is a natural reason to turn down an evening out before an exam. It sounds more effortful than simply “lernen”.
It does not necessarily mean you have left everything until the last minute. You can büffeln regularly over several weeks.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 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
I can't come to the cinema; I need to hit the books tonight.
German
Ich kann nicht mit ins Kino; ich muss heute Abend büffeln.
English
She hit the books every evening before her final exam.
German
Sie büffelte jeden Abend vor ihrer Abschlussprüfung.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-11-04