In der Kosmetikabteilung: Mascara und Nagellack kaufen

What does “Bescheid wissen” mean in German?

Shown her favorite mascara in the cosmetics aisle, the boyfriend is told: “Wenn du mal für mich einkaufen musst, weißt du jetzt Bescheid” — now you know. Bescheid wissen means to be in the know, and Bescheid barely translates on its own — it’s roughly “the relevant information.” The word lives almost entirely inside a handful of fixed phrases Germans use every day.

The set is small and priceless: Bescheid wissen (to know), Bescheid sagen or Bescheid geben (to let someone know — Sag mir Bescheid! is “keep me posted!”), and Bescheid bekommen (to get word). In official German, ein Bescheid is a formal decision letter — the Steuerbescheid from the tax office is the same little word wearing a suit.