How do you say “In a pickle” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is in der Klemme sitzen, which literally means “to sit in a clamp”. English speakers use in a pickle to mean to be in a difficult or awkward situation. A close German expression for being in a difficult situation. It can sound more pressing than the playful English phrase. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural German
in der Klemme sitzen
/ɪn deːɐ̯ ˈklɛmə ˌzɪtsn̩/
- Literal meaning
- “to sit in a clamp”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
94 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
The image is of being squeezed with little room to move. Use it when your available options have suddenly become limited.
For a small problem, “ein bisschen in der Klemme” softens the wording. The phrase does not necessarily imply wrongdoing.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone4 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity2 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
I’m in a pickle: I’ve locked myself out and my phone is inside.
German
Ich sitze in der Klemme: Ich habe mich ausgesperrt, und mein Handy liegt drinnen.
English
We were in a pickle when both babysitters cancelled.
German
Wir saßen in der Klemme, als beide Babysitter absagten.
Related expressions
- What “In a pickle” means in English
- Between a rock and a hard place, Caught between two bad choices.
Last updated 2026-11-13