naschen
to snack
To eat sweets or other treats, often secretly or between main meals.
EXAMPLE
Die Kinder dürfen vor dem Abendessen nicht naschen.
The children are not allowed to snack before dinner.
naschen
to snack / nibble
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Meanings
naschen
to taste
In a figurative sense, to taste something forbidden or secretly desired, especially in an erotic or romantic context.
EXAMPLE
Er konnte nicht widerstehen, von der verbotenen Frucht zu naschen.
He could not resist tasting the forbidden fruit.
Usage tips
Use with "von"
'Naschen' (to snack/nibble) can be used with the preposition 'von' + dative. This emphasizes that you are taking a small part of something larger, for example a piece from a whole cake.
EXAMPLE
Wer hat von der Torte genascht?
Who has been nibbling at the cake?
Typical collocations
In its main meaning, 'naschen' (to snack) is often used without an object or with typical sweets. Common contexts are 'heimlich naschen' (to snack secretly) or 'zwischen den Mahlzeiten naschen' (to snack between meals).
EXAMPLE
Ich nasche abends gerne ein Stück Schokolade.
I like to snack on a piece of chocolate in the evening.
Register and style
'Naschen' (to snack) is a very common word in everyday language. It often has an affectionate or harmless connotation, especially when talking about children.
EXAMPLE
Die Kleine nascht für ihr Leben gern Gummibärchen.
The little girl absolutely loves snacking on gummy bears.
Context clue
The figurative, often erotic meaning is usually recognizable from a metaphorical context. A typical expression is, for example, 'von der verbotenen Frucht naschen' (to taste the forbidden fruit).
EXAMPLE
Die Affäre war für beide nur ein kurzes Naschen ohne ernste Absichten.
For both of them, the affair was only a brief taste, with no serious intentions.
Compare with
naschen vs knabbern
to nibble
Knabbern and naschen can both describe eating small amounts. Knabbern emphasizes taking small bites of something relatively hard, such as nuts or pretzel sticks. Naschen, by contrast, emphasizes enjoying a treat, often something sweet eaten between meals.
naschen
Beim Film nascht Lea ein paar Stücke Schokolade.
Lea snacks on a few pieces of chocolate while watching the movie.
knabbern
Beim Film knabbert Lea ein paar harte Salzstangen.
Lea nibbles on a few hard pretzel sticks while watching the movie.
In real life
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