In German
pleite sein
Meaning: to be broke (out of money)
Formal or informal? Casual idiom, widely used and understood across ages. “Pleite” comes from the business world (originally meaning “bankrupt”), but in everyday slang it's used loosely for anyone temporarily low on cash.
Example sentences
Ichbintotalpleite.
I'm totally broke.
Eristschonwiederpleite.
He's broke again.
NachdemUrlaubsindwirpleite.
After the vacation we're broke.
Common mistake
Don't think “pleite” only applies to businesses going bankrupt — in everyday slang, it just means a person is temporarily out of money.
Quick check
Which casual idiom means “to be broke”?
More words on this topic
Keep learning German
Practise it in a lesson →Frequently asked questions
Where does “pleite” come from?
Originally a business term for “bankrupt”, now used casually for anyone short on cash.
Is “pleite sein” formal or informal?
Informal — it's casual everyday slang, not used in formal financial writing.