riechen
to smell
To perceive a particular smell with the nose or to give off a smell. Often used with the preposition 'nach' (of/like).
EXAMPLE
Im ganzen Haus riecht es nach frisch gebackenem Kuchen.
The whole house smells of freshly baked cake.
riechen
to smell
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Meanings
riechen an
to smell
To actively use your nose to check the smell of something.
EXAMPLE
Er roch an der Milch, um festzustellen, ob sie noch gut ist.
He smelled the milk to find out whether it was still good.
jemanden/etwas nicht riechen können
can't stand someone/something
To absolutely dislike a person or thing; to have a strong aversion.
EXAMPLE
Ich kann seinen arroganten Kollegen einfach nicht riechen.
I simply can't stand his arrogant colleague.
riechen
to sense
In a figurative sense, to suspect, sense, or have a hunch about something without having concrete proof.
EXAMPLE
Sie roch sofort, dass etwas nicht in Ordnung war.
She immediately sensed that something was wrong.
Usage tips
Two uses
'Riechen' (to smell) can be used in two ways. Either a person actively perceives a smell (transitive with an accusative object), or a thing gives off a smell (intransitive, often with 'es').
EXAMPLE
Ich rieche den Duft der Rosen.
I smell the scent of the roses.
Preposition 'nach'
When something has a particular smell, this is almost always expressed with the preposition 'nach' and the dative. The structure is: Es riecht nach + [smell].
EXAMPLE
Deine Hände riechen nach Zwiebeln.
Your hands smell of onions.
Preposition 'an'
When you actively sniff something in order to check its smell, you use the preposition 'an' with the dative. The structure is: an etwas (Dativ) riechen.
EXAMPLE
Riech mal an dieser Blume, sie duftet herrlich!
Smell this flower, it smells wonderful!
Fixed expression
The colloquial expression 'jemanden nicht riechen können' means that you don't like a person at all. The person you don't like is in the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Seit unserem Streit kann ich ihn einfach nicht mehr riechen.
Since our argument, I simply can't stand him anymore.
Figurative meaning
In a figurative sense, 'riechen' (to smell) means to suspect or sense something. Typical combinations are 'Gefahr riechen' (to smell danger) or 'den Braten riechen' (to smell a rat / suspect a trap).
EXAMPLE
Als der Chef so freundlich war, habe ich sofort den Braten gerochen.
When the boss was being so friendly, I immediately smelled a rat.
Compare with
riechen vs stinken
to stink
Riechen and stinken can both express that a smell is perceived or given off. Riechen is neutral in value and can describe something pleasant, unpleasant, or simply unspecified. Stinken, by contrast, refers to a very strong and unpleasant smell.
riechen
Im Zimmer riecht es nach frischem Kaffee.
The room smells of fresh coffee.
stinken
Im Zimmer stinkt der volle Mülleimer.
The full trash can stinks in the room.
In real life
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