der  Ausrutscher

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈaʊsˌʁʊtʃɐ/

🤸 What Exactly is an Ausrutscher?

The German word der Ausrutscher has two main meanings:

1. Literal meaning: The actual act of slipping or falling on a smooth surface. One briefly loses balance.
   Example: Vorsicht auf dem Eis, ein kleiner Ausrutscher kann schmerzhaft sein! (Be careful on the ice, a little slip can be painful!)

2. Figurative meaning: A (usually minor) mistake, blunder, gaffe, lapse, or an ill-considered remark. Something that wasn't intended and is often considered embarrassing or inappropriate. It can refer to behavior, words, or decisions.
   Example: Seine Bemerkung war ein echter Ausrutscher, er hat sich sofort entschuldigt. (His remark was a real blunder, he apologized immediately.)

⚠️ It usually refers to an unintentional event, both literally and figuratively.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar: Der Ausrutscher in Detail

Der Ausrutscher is a masculine noun. It follows the strong declension pattern.

Example Sentences

• Literal: Nach dem Regen gab es auf den nassen Blättern viele Ausrutscher. (After the rain, there were many slips on the wet leaves.)
• Figurative: Der Politiker leistete sich in der Rede einen peinlichen Ausrutscher. (The politician made an embarrassing blunder in the speech.)
• Figurative: Das war nur ein kleiner Ausrutscher, normalerweise ist er sehr zuverlässig. (That was just a small slip-up, normally he is very reliable.)
• Genitive: Die Folgen des Ausrutschers waren zum Glück nicht schlimm. (Luckily, the consequences of the slip / blunder weren't severe.)

💡 How to Use "Ausrutscher"?

Usage heavily depends on the context:

• Literal: Often used in connection with slippery surfaces (Eis, Nässe, Bananenschalen 🍌 - ice, wetness, banana peels), sports, or accidents. Synonyms like Sturz (fall) or Stolperer (stumble) are similar here, but Ausrutscher emphasizes the sliding motion.
• Figurative: This refers to social or professional missteps. It's often a milder term for a mistake than, for example, Skandal (scandal). It frequently implies that it's an exception rather than intentional misconduct.
  • Comparison: A Fehler (mistake, error) can be systematic, while an Ausrutscher is more spontaneous and singular. A Panne (mishap, breakdown) often relates to technical or organizational problems. A Lapsus is usually a slip of the tongue (sprachlicher Versprecher).
  • Typical contexts: Public speeches, interviews, social interactions, sometimes moral failings ("moralischer Ausrutscher" - moral lapse).

The tone can range from concerned (for a real fall) to reproachful or apologetic (for a misstep).

🧠 Mnemonics to Remember

Article Mnemonic: Think of a stereotypical clumsy man slipping - DER Mann hat einen Ausrutscher. ('The man has a slip'). Helps remember the masculine article 'der'.

Meaning Mnemonic: If you slip OUT (aus) of line or accidentally say something wrong, you make an Ausrutscher. You're briefly 'out' of control or 'off' track.

↔️ Opposites and Similar Words

Potentially Confusing Words

• Rutsch (der): Can mean a short slide or a landslide. Shorter and often less negative than Ausrutscher.
• Rutsche (die): The playground slide.

😂 A Little Joke

Fragt der Chef den neuen Mitarbeiter: "Sagen Sie mal, hatten Sie nicht eben einen kleinen Ausrutscher auf dem Flur?"
Antwortet der Mitarbeiter: "Nein, Chef, das war Absicht! Ich wollte nur mal testen, ob die Schwerkraft heute noch funktioniert."

Translation:

The boss asks the new employee: "Tell me, didn't you just have a little slip in the hallway?"
The employee replies: "No, boss, that was intentional! I just wanted to test if gravity still works today."

✍️ Poem about the Ausrutscher

Ein Schritt zu viel, ein Wort zu schnell,
Auf glattem Parkett oder verbal – ganz hell
Scheint der Moment, wo man die Fassung verliert,
Ein Ausrutscher, der kurz irritiert.

Mal fällt der Körper, mal die Maske nur,
Ein kleiner Riss in der perfekten Spur.
Doch Menschlichkeit zeigt sich genau darin,
Ein Ausrutscher gehört zum Lebenssinn.

Translation:

One step too many, a word too fast,
On slippery floors or verbally – quite cast
Is the moment's light when composure is lost,
An Ausrutscher, briefly causing frost.

Sometimes the body falls, sometimes just the face,
A little tear in the perfect trace.
But humanity reveals itself right there,
An Ausrutscher is part of life's affair.

❓ Riddle Time

Ich komme oft unerwartet, bin selten gewollt,
Mal bring ich dich zu Fall, mal macht dein Wort dich zum Spott.
Auf Eis bin ich häufig, in Reden fatal,
Ein kleiner Moment, doch die Wirkung ist manchmal brutal.

Was bin ich?

Translation:

I often come unexpectedly, am rarely desired,
Sometimes I make you fall, sometimes your words make you mired (in ridicule).
On ice I am frequent, in speeches fatal,
A small moment, but the effect is sometimes brutal.

What am I?
Answer: Der Ausrutscher

⚙️ Word Components and Other Info

Word Composition:

The word "Ausrutscher" is a noun derived from the verb "ausrutschen" (to slip).

• aus- (prefix, here meaning a movement out of balance or a deviation)
• rutschen (verb: to slide, to slip)
• -er (suffix used to form nouns from verbs, often indicating the result or the agent/thing performing the action)

So, an "Ausrutscher" is literally the result of slipping, or figuratively an action that has "slipped" from the expected or correct path.