How do you say “Let the cat out of the bag” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is Die Katze aus dem Sack lassen, which literally means “To let the cat out of the sack”. English speakers use let the cat out of the bag to mean to reveal a secret, usually by accident. The same image and the same meaning; the literal translation happens to be correct here. It is informal and common in everyday German.
Closest natural German
Die Katze aus dem Sack lassen
/diː ˈkatsə aʊs deːm zak ˈlasən/
- Literal meaning
- “To let the cat out of the sack”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
93 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
German and English share this image almost exactly. One small difference: the German is often used for a planned reveal, announcing the news at last, while the English leans towards an accidental slip.
Context usually makes the difference clear, and no German speaker will misunderstand you.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context4 out of 5
- Literal similarity5 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in German?
Mit der Sprache herausrücken
Literally: “To move out with the language”
Used when someone is finally persuaded to say what they know.
Ein Geheimnis verraten
Literally: “To betray a secret”
Neutral and clear.
In context
English
He let the cat out of the bag about the engagement.
German
Er hat die Katze aus dem Sack gelassen und von der Verlobung erzählt.
English
Alright, let the cat out of the bag.
German
Also gut, lass die Katze aus dem Sack.
Related expressions
- What “Let the cat out of the bag” means in English
- Spill the beans, To give away a secret.
Last reviewed 2026-09-11