Ein Leben ohne Verpackungsmüll: Der verpackungsfreie Supermarkt

What does “kalte Füße” mean in German?

The speaker’s packaging-free supermarket has just turned from a fun late-night idea into a real plan she actually has to build. That is when the fear hits: “Und das war der Moment, wo wir Angst bekamen, kalte Füße.” German uses “kalte Füße” exactly like English “cold feet” — that wobble of doubt right before a big step, when backing out suddenly feels easier than going ahead.

In the clip she says: “Und das war der Moment, wo wir Angst bekamen, kalte Füße.” — “And that was the moment we got scared, got cold feet.” “kalte Füße” literally means “cold feet,” and it carries the same meaning as in English: a sudden urge to back out of something just before you commit. You usually say “kalte Füße bekommen” (to get cold feet) or “kalte Füße kriegen”: - “Kurz vor der Hochzeit bekam er kalte Füße.” — “Just before the wedding he got cold feet.” - “Wir wollten kündigen, aber dann bekamen wir kalte Füße.” — “We wanted to quit, but then we got cold feet.” - “Bekomm jetzt bloß keine kalten Füße.” — “Don’t get cold feet now.” It is warm, everyday speech — friendly, not formal. It points at the hesitation itself, not at literally cold feet, so listen for it whenever someone is about to take a big risk and starts to waver.