How do you say “A spanner in the works” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is jemandem einen Knüppel zwischen die Beine werfen, which literally means “to throw a club between someone's legs”. English speakers use a spanner in the works to mean a problem that disrupts a plan or stops progress. An established image for obstructing someone. It often sounds more deliberate than an unexpected English “spanner”. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural German
jemandem einen Knüppel zwischen die Beine werfen
/ˈjeːmandəm ˈaɪnən ˈknʏpl̩ ˈtsvɪʃn̩ diː ˈbaɪnə ˈvɛɐ̯fn̩/
- Literal meaning
- “to throw a club between someone's legs”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Close equivalent
86 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
German imagines tripping someone rather than jamming machinery. It is a good match when a person or requirement obstructs progress.
For a simple accident, saying that it delayed the plan may be clearer. Do not imply sabotage when nobody meant to cause the problem.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning4 out of 5
- Tone4 out of 5
- Context4 out of 5
- Literal similarity2 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
The missing permit threw a spanner in the works just before opening day.
German
Die fehlende Genehmigung warf uns kurz vor der Eröffnung einen Knüppel zwischen die Beine.
English
He threw a spanner in the works by refusing to sign.
German
Er warf uns einen Knüppel zwischen die Beine, indem er die Unterschrift verweigerte.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-10-01