01
das Gemüse
vegetables
Edible parts of plants that are usually eaten as a side dish or main component of meals.
example
Zum Abendessen gibt es Fisch mit Reis und frischem Gemüse.
For dinner, there is fish with rice and fresh vegetables.
das Gemüse
vegetables
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Meanings
Usage tips
Usually singular
'Gemüse' (vegetables) is a collective noun and is almost always used in the singular, even when talking about many different kinds. The plural form 'die Gemüse' is very rare and is only used in specialist language, such as biology.
EXAMPLE
Ich kaufe auf dem Markt viel frisches Gemüse.
I buy a lot of fresh vegetables at the market.
Typical compounds
The word 'Gemüse' (vegetables) is the first part of many useful compound nouns. Examples include 'die Gemüsesuppe' (vegetable soup), 'die Gemüsepfanne' (vegetable stir-fry), 'der Gemüseladen' (vegetable shop), or 'das Wurzelgemüse' (root vegetables).
EXAMPLE
An kalten Tagen esse ich gerne eine heiße Gemüsesuppe.
On cold days, I like eating a hot vegetable soup.
Typical collocations
Common verbs used in connection with vegetables are 'Gemüse anbauen' (to grow vegetables), 'Gemüse putzen' (to clean/prepare vegetables), 'Gemüse schneiden' (to cut vegetables), and 'Gemüse kochen/braten/dünsten' (to boil/fry/steam vegetables).
EXAMPLE
Bevor du das Gemüse kochst, musst du es gründlich waschen und schneiden.
Before you cook the vegetables, you have to wash and cut them thoroughly.
Compare with
Gemüse vs Obst
fruit
'das Gemüse' and 'das Obst' are both edible parts of plants, so they are easy to confuse. In everyday language, 'Obst' usually means sweet, juicy fruit such as apples, pears, or berries. 'Gemüse' is often eaten in hot dishes, as a side dish, or in salad, for example carrots, potatoes, or broccoli. The boundary is not always completely simple, because some plants are botanically fruits but count as vegetables in everyday language. For normal usage, it helps to remember: 'Obst' is often eaten sweet and raw; 'Gemüse' is more often savory.
Gemüse
Zum Abendessen gibt es Reis mit frischem Gemüse.
For dinner, there is rice with fresh vegetables.
Obst
Greta nimmt morgen Obst mit ins Büro, weil sie im Sommer gern etwas Frisches isst.
Greta is taking fruit to the office tomorrow because she likes eating something fresh in summer.
In real life
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