How do you say “Hit the road” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is sich auf die Socken machen, which literally means “to make oneself onto the socks”. English speakers use hit the road to mean to leave a place or begin a journey. A very natural, widely understood German idiom used when announcing a departure. It conveys the same casual, proactive intent to leave as 'hit the road'. It is informal and common in everyday German.
Closest natural German
sich auf die Socken machen
[zɪç aʊf diː ˈzɔkn̩ ˈmaxn̩]
- Literal meaning
- “to make oneself onto the socks”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Close equivalent
88 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
In English, 'hit the road' originally evoked physical travel on highways, though it has long served as a casual signal for leaving any gathering or beginning a trip. German captures this exact functional impulse with 'sich auf die Socken machen' (literally 'to make oneself onto the socks'). Historically derived from putting on socks to get walking, it serves as a lighthearted declaration that it is time to depart.
Both expressions match well in informal everyday settings, whether you are stepping out of a friend's apartment or leaving for a weekend trip. However, while 'hit the road' carries an automotive connotation in modern English, 'sich auf die Socken machen' retains a slightly whimsical, pedestrian flavor; for car journeys specifically, native speakers often prefer 'losdüsen' or the neutral 'sich auf den Weg machen'.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone4 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?
losdüsen
Literally: “to jet off”
Common when driving or leaving quickly by vehicle.
sich auf den Weg machen
Literally: “to make one's way”
Neutral and universal, suitable for both everyday departures and long journeys.
die Biege machen
Literally: “to make the bend”
More slangy, similar to 'bounce' or 'take off'.
Don't translate it literally
die Straße schlagen
A nonsensical literal translation that sounds like physically beating the pavement.
Word-for-word versions like these are understood as literal statements in German, not as expressions.
In context
English
It's getting late, we should probably hit the road.
German
Es wird spät, wir sollten uns langsam auf die Socken machen.
English
Pack your bags, we're hitting the road tomorrow at dawn.
German
Pack deine Sachen, morgen bei Tagesanbruch machen wir uns auf die Socken.
Related expressions
Last reviewed 2026-09-11