anbeißen
to bite into
To bite into something and break off a piece of it or grasp it with one's teeth.
EXAMPLE
Das Kind biss den Apfel vorsichtig an.
The child cautiously bit into the apple.
anbeißen
to bite into / take the bait
anbeißen – biss an – hat angebissen
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Meanings
anbeißen
to take the bait
For a fish or another animal to snap at bait and manage to catch it.
EXAMPLE
Der Fisch hat sofort angebissen.
The fish took the bait immediately.
auf etwas anbeißen
to fall for something
To fall for a bait, trick, or tempting offer and react to it.
EXAMPLE
Zum Glück hat er auf den gefälschten Gewinnbrief nicht angebissen.
Luckily, he didn't fall for the fake prize letter.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry anbeißen, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
Present
| ich | beiße an |
|---|---|
| du | beißt an |
| er/sie/es | beißt an |
| wir | beißen an |
| ihr | beißt an |
| sie | beißen an |
Simple past
| ich | biss an |
|---|---|
| du | bissest an bisst an |
| er/sie/es | biss an |
| wir | bissen an |
| ihr | bisst an |
| sie | bissen an |
Perfect
with haben
| ich | habe angebissen |
|---|---|
| du | hast angebissen |
| er/sie/es | hat angebissen |
| wir | haben angebissen |
| ihr | habt angebissen |
| sie | haben angebissen |
Commands
| du | beiß an! beiße an! |
|---|---|
| ihr | beißt an! |
| Sie | beißen Sie an! |
Past perfect
| ich | hatte angebissen |
|---|---|
| du | hattest angebissen |
| er/sie/es | hatte angebissen |
| wir | hatten angebissen |
| ihr | hattet angebissen |
| sie | hatten angebissen |
Future
| ich | werde anbeißen |
|---|---|
| du | wirst anbeißen |
| er/sie/es | wird anbeißen |
| wir | werden anbeißen |
| ihr | werdet anbeißen |
| sie | werden anbeißen |
Subjunctive I
| ich | beiße an |
|---|---|
| du | beißest an |
| er/sie/es | beiße an |
| wir | beißen an |
| ihr | beißet an |
| sie | beißen an |
Used for reported speech.
Subjunctive II
| ich | bisse an |
|---|---|
| du | bissest an |
| er/sie/es | bisse an |
| wir | bissen an |
| ihr | bisset an |
| sie | bissen an |
Used for wishes and “would”.
Other forms
| infinitive | anbeißen |
|---|---|
| with zu | anzubeißen |
| present participle | anbeißend |
| past participle | angebissen |
Usage tips
Word formation
'Anbeißen' (to bite into) consists of the prefix 'an-' and the verb 'beißen' (to bite). Here, the prefix describes the beginning of biting or the first bite into something.
EXAMPLE
Auf dem Teller lag nur noch ein angebissenes Brötchen.
There was only a half-eaten bread roll left on the plate.
Separable verb
'Anbeißen' (to bite into) is a separable verb: In a main clause, 'an' comes at the end of the sentence, while in a subordinate clause the verb stays together. In the infinitive with 'zu', 'zu' comes between the prefix and the verb.
EXAMPLE
Der Fisch biss sofort an.
The fish took the bait immediately.
Sie wartete lange, bis endlich ein Fisch anbiss.
She waited a long time until a fish finally took the bait.
Der Fisch begann vorsichtig anzubeißen.
The fish began to bite cautiously.
Context clue
An animal as the subject and bait in the sentence usually indicate the fishing-related meaning. With a person as the subject and a trick or offer, it often refers to a figurative reaction to it.
EXAMPLE
Der Karpfen biss auf den Köder an.
The carp took the bait.
Der Betrüger hoffte, dass jemand auf den Trick anbeißen würde.
The fraudster hoped that someone would fall for the trick.
Typical construction
In the meaning of taking a first bite, 'anbeißen' (to bite into) often takes an accusative object referring to what someone bites into. The object is usually food, such as an apple, a bread roll, or a piece of cake.
EXAMPLE
Wer hat die Schokolade angebissen?
Who took a bite out of the chocolate?
In real life
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