Phrase in German
What does "Was laberst du?" mean in German?
The phrase "Was laberst du?" is a colloquial German expression used to question what someone is saying, usually with surprise, disbelief or criticism.
Phrase
Was laberst du?
Natural translation
What are you talking about?
- What nonsense are you talking?
- What are you on about?
Breakdown of the phrase
Was
Interrogative pronoun: what.
laberst
Second-person singular form of "labern", a colloquial verb that can mean to talk too much or say nonsense.
du
Personal pronoun: you.
Usage notes
- "Labern" is informal and can sound dismissive in serious contexts.
- The phrase is mainly used in spoken German.
- It is best avoided in formal situations or with people you do not know well.
Similar examples
Was laberst du da?
What are you talking about there?
Ich verstehe nicht, was du da laberst.
I do not understand what you are talking about there.
Was laberst du? Das macht keinen Sinn!
What are you talking about? That does not make any sense!
EchoLearn card
Front
Was laberst du?
Back
What are you talking about? A colloquial phrase used to question something that sounds absurd or hard to believe.
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