German Phrase
Das ist ein richtiger Ohrwurm!
Meaning
The sentence expresses that a particular tune is extremely catchy and keeps looping in the listener’s mind. It’s the German equivalent of saying “That’s a real earworm!” and carries a light‑hearted, informal tone.
When to use
Use it when you hear a song, jingle, or melody that you can’t stop thinking about, whether you like it or find it annoying. It works in casual conversation with friends, on social media, or when commenting on a radio hit.
✦Grammar Breakdown
DasisteinrichtigerOhrwurm!
Das (demonstrative pronoun)
Used here as a neutral demonstrative pronoun meaning 'that' or 'this' referring to a situation or thing.
ist (verb "sein")
Third‑person singular present of "sein" (to be).
ein (indefinite article)
Masculine nominative singular; introduces a non‑specific noun.
richtiger (adjective declension)
Weak declension after the indefinite article; matches the masculine noun "Ohrwurm".
Ohrwurm (noun, masculine)
Literally 'ear‑worm', a colloquial term for a song that gets stuck in your head.
🗨In Conversation
Das ist ein richtiger Ohrwurm!
That's a real earworm!
Ja, ich höre ihn den ganzen Tag.
Yeah, I’ve been hearing it all day.
✕Common Mistakes
Das ist ein richtige Ohrwurm!
After the indefinite article "ein" the adjective takes the weak ending -er, not -e.
Das ist ein richtiger Ohrwurms!
Nouns in the nominative singular do not take an -s ending; the article already marks the case.
Das ist richtiger Ohrwurm!
If you want to emphasize that the earworm is *very* catchy, you can add "total" or "wirklich" before the adjective, but dropping the article changes the meaning.
↔Alternatives
Das ist ein echter Ohrwurm.
That's a genuine earworm.
Der Song bleibt mir im Kopf hängen.
The song sticks in my head.
Der Titel geht mir nicht aus dem Kopf.
The title won’t leave my mind.
Cultural Tip
The word *Ohrwurm* (literally ‘ear‑worm’) is a playful, informal German idiom that dates back to the early 20th century. It’s used across all German‑speaking regions and is perfectly fine in everyday conversation, but you’d avoid it in formal writing or presentations. In Austria you’ll also hear *Ohrwurm*; in Switzerland the same term is used, though some Swiss speakers might prefer *Kopfmelodie* for a more neutral tone.