01
der Esser
eater
A person characterized by their specific eating habits.
example
Mein Sohn ist ein sehr wählerischer Esser und mag kaum Gemüse.
My son is a very picky eater and hardly likes any vegetables.
der Esser
eater
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word formation
The word 'Esser' (eater) is derived directly from the verb 'essen' (to eat). The ending '-er' is often used in German to form a masculine person from a verb who performs that activity.
EXAMPLE
Wer viel Sport treibt, ist oft auch ein guter Esser.
Someone who does a lot of sports is often also a good eater.
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'Person mit Essgewohnheiten' (person with eating habits), 'Esser' (eater) is almost always combined with an adjective. Typical examples are 'ein guter/schlechter Esser' (a good/bad eater), 'ein schneller/langsamer Esser' (a fast/slow eater), or 'ein wählerischer Esser' (a picky eater).
EXAMPLE
Als Kind war ich ein sehr schlechter Esser.
As a child, I was a very bad eater.
Context clue
An adjective that describes a general habit, e.g. 'wählerisch' (picky) or 'gut' (good), points to the first meaning. If a person is described eating in a specific situation, often with a number, the second meaning is meant.
EXAMPLE
Er ist ein sehr unkomplizierter Esser.
He is a very easygoing eater.
Compare with
Esser vs Feinschmecker
gourmet
'der Esser' and 'der Feinschmecker' both refer to people and food. But 'Esser' is much more general. You use it when describing how someone eats, for example a lot, little, slowly, or pickily. It can also simply mean a person at a meal. 'Feinschmecker' says more about a person's taste: they pay special attention to good food and can judge quality well. Learners may confuse the words because both have to do with eating habits. In practice: for the type or amount of eating, 'Esser' fits; for special enjoyment and good food, 'Feinschmecker' fits.
Esser
Mein Bruder ist ein langsamer Esser und sitzt oft noch am Tisch, wenn alle fertig sind.
My brother is a slow eater and is often still sitting at the table when everyone else is finished.
Feinschmecker
Für einen Feinschmecker wie Paul ist die Qualität der Zutaten besonders wichtig.
For a gourmet like Paul, the quality of the ingredients is especially important.
In real life
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