German Conversation · Level 97
57 words
German word
fressen
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈfʁɛsn̩/
Meaning
- verbgobble
Example
Der Hund hat sein Futter gefressen.
The dog has gobbled up its food.
More examples
Er frisst sein Essen wie ein Schwein.
He gobbles his food like a pig.
Core concept
An animal pushes into its food and eats it greedily, without the controlled manner associated with a human meal.
Common phrases
wie ein Schwein fressen
gobble like a pig
Similar words
essen: To consume food as part of a normal meal.
verschlingen: To eat a lot very quickly and hungrily.
füttern: To feed another person or an animal.
naschen: To snack on small portions of treats or sweets.
Definition in German
Bezeichnet hastiges, gieriges Essen; übliches Subjekt sind Tiere, auf Menschen angewandt wirkt es beleidigend oder provokativ.
Word origin
Fressen is an inherited Germanic verb that developed through Old High German frezzan and Middle High German vreʒʒen into the modern form.
Usage tips
- Applied to a person, fressen sounds insulting or deliberately provocative, while essen is the neutral verb for human eating.
Other meanings
- munchverb
Opposites
- fastenfastverb
Related words
- Fressattackebinge-eating episodenoun
- verfressengluttonousadjective
- überfressenovereatverb