How do you say “Open a can of worms” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is ein Fass aufmachen, which literally means “to open a barrel”. English speakers use open a can of worms to mean to start dealing with something that creates further difficult problems. Useful for raising an issue that leads to a much bigger discussion. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural German
ein Fass aufmachen
/aɪn fas ˈaʊfmaxn̩/
- Literal meaning
- “to open a barrel”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
90 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
German also opens a container, but the emphasis is often on starting a troublesome discussion. The problems may already exist and only now come to light.
The phrase can also criticise making a fuss. Give enough context to show whether the concern is unnecessary drama or genuine complications.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning4 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity2 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
Asking about the missing money opened a can of worms.
German
Mit der Frage nach dem fehlenden Geld haben wir ein Fass aufgemacht.
English
Discussing the rent opened a can of worms for us.
German
Mit der Diskussion über die Miete haben wir ein Fass aufgemacht.
Related expressions
- What “Open a can of worms” means in English
- The tip of the iceberg, A small visible part of a much bigger problem.
Last updated 2026-09-19