eine Dummheit begehen

/ˈaɪ̯nə ˈdʊmhaɪ̯t bəˈɡeːən/◆idiom

to do something stupid

Er hat eine Dummheit begangen und das ganze Projekt gefährdet.

He did something stupid and jeopardized the whole project.

◆ What It Really Means

To perform an action that is clearly foolish, reckless, or lacking in judgment, often with negative consequences. It implies a conscious choice to act stupidly, not just an accidental error.

¶ Literal Meaning

to commit a stupidity

Literal Breakdown

eine Dummheita stupidity+begehento commit

◇ Mental Image

The phrase evokes the image of someone actively 'committing' or 'undertaking' an act of stupidity, as if signing a contract or embarking on a journey with a negative destination.

◈ When to Use

Imagine a friend who, despite your warnings, decides to drive home drunk and gets into an accident. You might say, 'Er hat eine Dummheit begangen und ist jetzt im Krankenhaus.'

◉ Cultural Note

The phrase reflects a cultural tendency in German-speaking countries to directly criticize foolish actions, often with a touch of humor or exasperation. It is less common in very formal contexts.

informal

to do something foolish or reckless that has negative consequences

Sie hat die Dummheit begangen, ihren Job zu kündigen, ohne einen neuen zu haben.

She made the foolish mistake of quitting her job without having another one lined up.

Er beging die Dummheit, im Regen ohne Regenschirm spazieren zu gehen.

He made the stupid mistake of walking in the rain without an umbrella.

Often used to describe actions that are not just mistakes but clear lapses in judgment.

Collocations

eine große Dummheit begehento make a big mistakeeine Dummheit nach der anderen begehento keep making mistakes one after another

Synonyms

einen Fehler machen sich blamieren sich lächerlich machen

Antonyms

klug handeln vernünftig handeln

Related Phrases

einen Bockmist bauenidiom

to make a mess of things

sich ins eigene Fleisch schneidenidiom

to cut off one's nose to spite one's face

den Bock zum Gärtner machenidiom

to make the goat the gardener (to assign the wrong person to a task)

Pro Tip

Common Mistake

Do not confuse 'eine Dummheit begehen' with 'einen Fehler machen' (to make a mistake). The former implies a more serious lapse in judgment, often with negative consequences.

Gold Rule

Usage Context

Use 'eine Dummheit begehen' when the action is not just a mistake but a clear, foolish decision with negative outcomes. It is often used in a critical or humorous tone.

Word Origin

The phrase consists of 'eine Dummheit' (a stupidity/foolish act) and 'begehen' (to commit/perpetrate). 'Dummheit' derives from 'dumm' (stupid, foolish), which comes from Old High German 'tum' (mute, silent), originally implying a lack of intelligence. 'Begehen' is related to 'gehen' (to go) and originally meant 'to go on a journey' or 'to undertake an action', later evolving to mean 'to commit' in a negative sense.

Usage Notes

This phrase is commonly used in everyday speech to criticize someone's actions. It implies not just a mistake but a clear lapse in judgment. The tone is usually informal or critical. It can also be used humorously or self-deprecatingly.

Word Breakdown

eine Dummheit

a stupidity/foolish act

noun phrase

begehen

to commit/perpetrate

verb

Deutsch-Englisch Wörterbuch

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