In German

Bock haben

Meaning: to feel like (doing something), to be up for it

Formal or informal? Very casual idiom, extremely common in everyday spoken German across age groups. Literally “Bock” means “buck” (male goat), but the phrase has nothing to do with goats anymore.

Example sentences

  • IchhabkeinenBockmehr.

    I don't feel like it anymore.

  • HastduBockaufKino?

    Do you feel like going to the movies?

  • IchhabBockaufPizza.

    I feel like having pizza.

Common mistake

Don't try to use “Bock haben” in formal writing or with people you've just met in a professional context — it's strictly casual speech.

Quick check

Which casual idiom means “to feel like doing something”?

More words on this topic

chillento chill, to relax (English loanword verb)abhängento hang outQuatschnonsense, rubbish

Keep learning German

Listen to the podcast and radioPlay the mini-gamesStart the Beginner Path
Practise it in a lesson →

Frequently asked questions

Does “Bock” really mean “goat”?

Literally yes, but in this idiom it has no connection to goats — it's just a fixed casual expression for desire or motivation.

How do you say “I don't feel like it” with this idiom?

“Ich hab keinen Bock” (literally “I have no buck”, idiomatically “I don't feel like it”).