to nourish
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to nourish
To provide someone or something with food in order to make life and growth possible. Often used in a biological or elevated context.
Die Muttervögel nähren ihre Jungen unermüdlich mit Insekten.
The mother birds tirelessly nourish their young with insects.
to nurture
To carry a feeling, hope, doubt, or suspicion within oneself and strengthen it internally.
Seine ausweichenden Antworten nährten meinen Verdacht, dass er nicht die Wahrheit sagte.
His evasive answers nurtured my suspicion that he was not telling the truth.
to feed on
To feed on something; to use something as a source of nourishment.
Diese spezielle Raupenart nährt sich ausschließlich von den Blättern der Brennnessel.
This particular species of caterpillar feeds exclusively on the leaves of the nettle.
The verb 'nähren' (to nourish) is closely related to the noun 'die Nahrung' (food/nourishment). This connection helps you understand the basic meaning of providing what is necessary for life.
Guter Boden nährt die Pflanzen mit wichtigen Mineralien.
Good soil nourishes the plants with important minerals.
'Nähren' (to nourish) is a fairly elevated and formal word. It is often used in biological, literary, or figurative contexts.
Der Fluss nährt das gesamte Ökosystem des Tals.
The river nourishes the entire ecosystem of the valley.
In the figurative meaning, 'nähren' (to nurture) is almost always used with abstract nouns. Typical combinations are 'eine Hoffnung nähren' (to nurture a hope), 'einen Verdacht nähren' (to nurture a suspicion), or 'Zweifel nähren' (to nurture doubts).
Er nährte lange die Hoffnung, seine alte Liebe wiederzusehen.
For a long time, he nurtured the hope of seeing his old love again.
In the meaning 'sich ernähren' (to feed/live on), the verb is always reflexive and used with the preposition 'von' plus the dative: 'sich von etwas nähren' (to feed on something).
Der Kolibri nährt sich vom Nektar der Blüten.
The hummingbird feeds on the nectar of the flowers.
to feed / to nourish
Both verbs can mean providing someone with food. In general modern usage, “ernähren” is the usual choice for long-term provision, while “nähren” sounds more elevated or biological in this sense. Use “ernähren” in everyday situations and “nähren” when this particular tone is appropriate.
Die Muttermilch nährt das Baby und ermöglicht sein Wachstum.
Breast milk nourishes the baby and enables it to grow.
Die Familie ernährt ihr Baby mit ausgewogener Nahrung.
The family feeds their baby a balanced diet.
