Indifference can be convenient or inconsiderate
In a low-stakes choice, the expression can mean that either option is acceptable to you. The other person may then make the choice. It is not a literal sentence about owning or eating a sausage.
In a conversation about someone’s effort or worry, the same expression can sound as if the matter is unimportant to you. If you intend to be flexible rather than indifferent, a more precise phrase such as Mir ist beides recht can help.
Das ist mir wurst. Entscheide du.
It makes no difference to me. You decide.
This hands over a low-stakes choice.
Mir ist beides recht.
Either is fine with me.
A clearer option when you want to show flexibility.
Mir identifies whose preference is involved
The expression uses a dative person: mir, dir, ihm, ihr or uns. In Das ist mir wurst, mir identifies the person for whom it makes no difference. Do not replace it with mich in this pattern.
The adjectival wurst or wurscht is lowercase in this expression. Compare Das ist mir wurst with Ich esse eine Wurst, “I am eating a sausage.” The capital in the second sentence belongs to the food noun.
Ist dir das wirklich wurst?
Do you really not care about that?
Dir is the dative form.
Das ist mir nicht wurst.
I do care about that.
Nicht negates the indifference: the issue matters to the speaker.
Say what matters when the topic is serious
If a decision is important, you can name your preference directly. If you are trying to show concern, Das ist mir wichtig is clearer than relying on a joking or very casual expression.
You may also hear wurscht. It has the same indifference meaning here. Recognise both forms while choosing a neutral alternative where the colloquial wording would be a poor fit.
Everyday conversations
Two acceptable meals
Friends choose a simple meal; neither option is important to the listener.
- Nora
Möchtest du Reis oder Nudeln?
Would you like rice or pasta?
- Ali
Das ist mir wurst. Entscheide du.
Either is fine with me. You decide.
- Nora
Dann koche ich Reis.
Then I’ll cook rice.
The translation follows the low-stakes context. The phrase communicates indifference to this particular choice.
Checking whether someone cares
A friend questions an apparently indifferent response.
- Lara
Ist dir das wirklich wurst? Die Entscheidung betrifft uns beide.
Do you really not care? The decision affects both of us.
- Tim
Nein, das ist mir nicht wurst. Ich möchte erst deine Meinung hören.
No, I do care. I want to hear your opinion first.
- Lara
Gut. Mir ist wichtig, dass wir gemeinsam entscheiden.
Good. It matters to me that we decide together.
The negated form rejects indifference. Tim then explains his intention rather than leaving it to tone alone.
Showing flexibility clearly
A friend offers two possible times.
- Ines
Soll ich am Dienstag oder am Mittwoch anrufen?
Should I call on Tuesday or Wednesday?
- David
Mir ist beides recht. Ruf an, wenn es dir passt.
Either is fine with me. Call when it suits you.
- Ines
Dann melde ich mich am Mittwoch.
Then I’ll get in touch on Wednesday.
The alternative expresses flexibility without choosing the potentially dismissive wording.
Six practice tasks
Try each task before opening the explanation.
In a choice between two equally acceptable meals, what can Das ist mir wurst mean?
Answer and explanation
Either option makes no difference to the speaker.
The phrase expresses indifference in that context, not a food order.
Complete: Das ist ___ wurst. Use the first-person dative pronoun.
Answer and explanation
mir
The person is expressed with dative in this pattern.
Choose the current adjectival spelling: Das ist mir Wurst / Das ist mir wurst.
Answer and explanation
Das ist mir wurst.
Wurst is capitalized as a noun, but wurst is lowercase in this adjectival expression.
What does nicht change in “Das ist mir nicht wurst”?
Answer and explanation
It negates the indifference: the matter is important to the speaker.
Do not translate the negated sentence as the same statement of not caring.
Two appointment times both suit you. Give a neutral alternative.
Answer and explanation
Mir ist beides recht.
This directly communicates that both options work.
Other possible answers
- Beide Termine passen mir.
Someone shares a serious worry. Is the expression automatically a kind way to say you are flexible?
Answer and explanation
No. It may sound dismissive of the concern.
Choose wording that states your real intention, such as Das ist mir wichtig, where appropriate.
Frequently asked questions
Does it mean I want a sausage?
No. In this expression wurst describes indifference. The noun Wurst in a food sentence is a different use.
Can I say wurscht?
Duden records wurst and wurscht in this expression. Recognise the variant without treating it as a new meaning.
Why is it mir rather than mich?
The person whose attitude is described is expressed with dative in this pattern: mir, dir, ihm, ihr or uns.
Try it yourself
Practise a low-stakes choice and a more important decision. Express flexibility clearly in the first and your actual preference or concern in the second.