"shit happens" meaning in All languages combined

See shit happens on Wiktionary

Phrase [English]

Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-shit happens.wav
Head templates: {{en-head|phr|head=~happen􂀿s􂁀}} shit happens
  1. (vulgar) An expression of acceptance of misfortune and unforeseen bad circumstances or luck. Tags: vulgar Related terms: c'est la vie, that's life, it happens, these things happen, this is the life Translations (expression of acceptance of misfortune): أمور سيئة تْحّدُث [plural] (Arabic), kişinin başına iş gələr (Azerbaijani), sračky se stávají (Czech), (olykor / időnként) beüt a mennykő (Hungarian), дерьмо случается (derʹmo slučajetsja) (Russian), sin mar a thuiteas an crannchur (Scottish Gaelic), cosas que van y vienen [plural] (Spanish)

Phrase [German]

IPA: [ˈʃɪt ˌhɛpn̩s] Audio: De-shit happens.ogg
Etymology: Borrowed from English shit happens. Etymology templates: {{bor+|de|en|shit happens}} Borrowed from English shit happens Head templates: {{head|de|phrase|head=shit happens}} shit happens
  1. (colloquial) shit happens Tags: colloquial
    Sense id: en-shit_happens-de-phrase-WmtbnsAC Categories (other): German entries with incorrect language header, Pages with 2 entries, Pages with entries
{
  "antonyms": [
    {
      "word": "everything happens for a reason"
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "phr",
        "head": "~happen􂀿s􂁀"
      },
      "expansion": "shit happens",
      "name": "en-head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "phrase",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 2 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Arabic translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Azerbaijani translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Czech translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Hungarian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Russian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Scottish Gaelic translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An expression of acceptance of misfortune and unforeseen bad circumstances or luck."
      ],
      "id": "en-shit_happens-en-phrase-~C36~cu~",
      "links": [
        [
          "misfortune",
          "misfortune#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(vulgar) An expression of acceptance of misfortune and unforeseen bad circumstances or luck."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "c'est la vie"
        },
        {
          "word": "that's life"
        },
        {
          "word": "it happens"
        },
        {
          "word": "these things happen"
        },
        {
          "word": "this is the life"
        }
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "c'est la vie"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "it is as it is"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "it is how it is"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "it is what it is"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "tags": [
            "vulgar"
          ],
          "word": "life's a bitch"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "tags": [
            "vulgar"
          ],
          "word": "shit happens"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "so be it"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "so is life"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "so it goes"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "such is life"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "that's life"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "that's that and this is this"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "that's the way it goes"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "that’s the way it plays"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "that's the way life is"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "that's the way the ball bounces"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "that's the way the cookie crumbles"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "that's the way the mop flops"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "them's the breaks"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "vulgar"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "ar",
          "lang": "Arabic",
          "lang_code": "ar",
          "sense": "expression of acceptance of misfortune",
          "tags": [
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "أمور سيئة تْحّدُث"
        },
        {
          "code": "az",
          "lang": "Azerbaijani",
          "lang_code": "az",
          "sense": "expression of acceptance of misfortune",
          "word": "kişinin başına iş gələr"
        },
        {
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "lang_code": "cs",
          "sense": "expression of acceptance of misfortune",
          "word": "sračky se stávají"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "lang_code": "hu",
          "sense": "expression of acceptance of misfortune",
          "word": "(olykor / időnként) beüt a mennykő"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "lang_code": "ru",
          "roman": "derʹmo slučajetsja",
          "sense": "expression of acceptance of misfortune",
          "word": "дерьмо случается"
        },
        {
          "code": "gd",
          "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
          "lang_code": "gd",
          "sense": "expression of acceptance of misfortune",
          "word": "sin mar a thuiteas an crannchur"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "lang_code": "es",
          "sense": "expression of acceptance of misfortune",
          "tags": [
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "cosas que van y vienen"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-shit happens.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9c/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Flame%2C_not_lame-shit_happens.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Flame%2C_not_lame-shit_happens.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9c/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Flame%2C_not_lame-shit_happens.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Flame%2C_not_lame-shit_happens.wav.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "word": "shit happens"
}

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "en",
        "3": "shit happens"
      },
      "expansion": "Borrowed from English shit happens",
      "name": "bor+"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Borrowed from English shit happens.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "phrase",
        "head": "shit happens"
      },
      "expansion": "shit happens",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "German",
  "lang_code": "de",
  "pos": "phrase",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "German entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 2 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "shit happens"
      ],
      "id": "en-shit_happens-de-phrase-WmtbnsAC",
      "links": [
        [
          "shit happens",
          "shit happens#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(colloquial) shit happens"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "colloquial"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "[ˈʃɪt ˌhɛpn̩s]"
    },
    {
      "audio": "De-shit happens.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/6/6a/De-shit_happens.ogg/De-shit_happens.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/De-shit_happens.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "word": "shit happens"
}
{
  "antonyms": [
    {
      "word": "everything happens for a reason"
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "phr",
        "head": "~happen􂀿s􂁀"
      },
      "expansion": "shit happens",
      "name": "en-head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "phrase",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "c'est la vie"
    },
    {
      "word": "that's life"
    },
    {
      "word": "it happens"
    },
    {
      "word": "these things happen"
    },
    {
      "word": "this is the life"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English lemmas",
        "English multiword terms",
        "English phrases",
        "English vulgarities",
        "Entries with translation boxes",
        "Pages with 2 entries",
        "Pages with entries",
        "Terms with Arabic translations",
        "Terms with Azerbaijani translations",
        "Terms with Czech translations",
        "Terms with Hungarian translations",
        "Terms with Russian translations",
        "Terms with Scottish Gaelic translations",
        "Terms with Spanish translations"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An expression of acceptance of misfortune and unforeseen bad circumstances or luck."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "misfortune",
          "misfortune#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(vulgar) An expression of acceptance of misfortune and unforeseen bad circumstances or luck."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "c'est la vie"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "it is as it is"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "it is how it is"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "it is what it is"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "tags": [
            "vulgar"
          ],
          "word": "life's a bitch"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "tags": [
            "vulgar"
          ],
          "word": "shit happens"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "so be it"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "so is life"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "so it goes"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "such is life"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "that's life"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "that's that and this is this"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "that's the way it goes"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "that’s the way it plays"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "that's the way life is"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "that's the way the ball bounces"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "that's the way the cookie crumbles"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "that's the way the mop flops"
        },
        {
          "source": "Thesaurus:that's life",
          "word": "them's the breaks"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "vulgar"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-shit happens.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9c/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Flame%2C_not_lame-shit_happens.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Flame%2C_not_lame-shit_happens.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9c/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Flame%2C_not_lame-shit_happens.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Flame%2C_not_lame-shit_happens.wav.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "ar",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "lang_code": "ar",
      "sense": "expression of acceptance of misfortune",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "أمور سيئة تْحّدُث"
    },
    {
      "code": "az",
      "lang": "Azerbaijani",
      "lang_code": "az",
      "sense": "expression of acceptance of misfortune",
      "word": "kişinin başına iş gələr"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "lang_code": "cs",
      "sense": "expression of acceptance of misfortune",
      "word": "sračky se stávají"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "lang_code": "hu",
      "sense": "expression of acceptance of misfortune",
      "word": "(olykor / időnként) beüt a mennykő"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "lang_code": "ru",
      "roman": "derʹmo slučajetsja",
      "sense": "expression of acceptance of misfortune",
      "word": "дерьмо случается"
    },
    {
      "code": "gd",
      "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
      "lang_code": "gd",
      "sense": "expression of acceptance of misfortune",
      "word": "sin mar a thuiteas an crannchur"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "lang_code": "es",
      "sense": "expression of acceptance of misfortune",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "cosas que van y vienen"
    }
  ],
  "word": "shit happens"
}

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "en",
        "3": "shit happens"
      },
      "expansion": "Borrowed from English shit happens",
      "name": "bor+"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Borrowed from English shit happens.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "phrase",
        "head": "shit happens"
      },
      "expansion": "shit happens",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "German",
  "lang_code": "de",
  "pos": "phrase",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "German colloquialisms",
        "German entries with incorrect language header",
        "German lemmas",
        "German multiword terms",
        "German phrases",
        "German terms borrowed from English",
        "German terms derived from English",
        "Pages with 2 entries",
        "Pages with entries"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "shit happens"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "shit happens",
          "shit happens#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(colloquial) shit happens"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "colloquial"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "[ˈʃɪt ˌhɛpn̩s]"
    },
    {
      "audio": "De-shit happens.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/6/6a/De-shit_happens.ogg/De-shit_happens.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/De-shit_happens.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "word": "shit happens"
}

Download raw JSONL data for shit happens meaning in All languages combined (5.1kB)

{
  "called_from": "page/2530",
  "msg": "skipping string in the middle of translations: </table></div></div>\n\n",
  "path": [
    "shit happens"
  ],
  "section": "English",
  "subsection": "phrase",
  "title": "shit happens",
  "trace": ""
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable All languages combined dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-04-26 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-04-01 using wiktextract (7de0cf9 and 9452535). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.