der Speck
bacon
Fatty meat, usually smoked or cured, from a pig and used as food.
EXAMPLE
Für die Kartoffeln brate ich etwas Speck in der Pfanne an.
I fry some bacon in the pan for the potatoes.
der Speck
bacon
der Speck, die Specke
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Meanings
der Speck
animal fat
Fatty tissue beneath an animal's skin, especially in pigs.
EXAMPLE
Der Metzger entfernte den Speck vom Schweinefleisch.
The butcher removed the fat from the pork.
der Speck
belly fat
Colloquial: visible body fat, especially around the stomach or hips.
EXAMPLE
Mit mehr Bewegung will er den Speck am Bauch wieder loswerden.
He wants to get rid of the belly fat through more exercise.
Speck ansetzen
to put on belly fat
Colloquial: to gain body fat.
EXAMPLE
Seit er nicht mehr trainiert, setzt er langsam Speck an.
Since he stopped training, he has slowly been putting on belly fat.
mit Speck fängt man Mäuse
to lure someone with a reward
An attractive advantage or reward can be used to persuade someone to do something.
EXAMPLE
Mit Speck fängt man Mäuse, deshalb bietet die Firma einen Bonus an.
You can catch mice with bacon, so the company is offering a bonus.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Speck, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | masculine der |
|---|---|
| plural | die Specke |
| genitive | des Specks |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | der Speck | die Specke |
| accusative | den Speck | die Specke |
| dative | dem Speck | den Specken |
| genitive | des Specks des Speckes | der Specke |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Mind the register
When 'Speck' refers to visible body fat, the word is colloquial and can sound direct or humorous depending on the situation. For food and animal fat, 'Speck' is a neutral everyday term.
EXAMPLE
Er macht oft Witze über seinen Speck am Bauch.
He often jokes about his belly fat.
Für die Suppe kaufe ich geräucherten Speck.
I'm buying smoked bacon for the soup.
Typical collocations
When referring to food, 'Speck' is often used with verbs such as 'braten' (to fry), 'würfeln' (to dice), and 'auslassen' (to render). Common combinations include 'Speckwürfel' (diced bacon) and 'geräucherter Speck' (smoked bacon).
EXAMPLE
Zuerst würfle ich den Speck und lasse ihn in der Pfanne aus.
First I dice the bacon and render it in the pan.
Context clue
The meaning of animal fatty tissue is often clear from words related to meat processing or from references to an animal's body parts. In these contexts, it refers to part of the animal's body, not prepared food.
EXAMPLE
Unter der Haut des Schweins befindet sich eine dicke Schicht Speck.
There is a thick layer of fat beneath the pig's skin.
Mentioning body parts
When referring to visible body fat, 'Speck' is especially often used with phrases such as 'am Bauch' (around the stomach) or 'an den Hüften' (around the hips). This meaning usually occurs in personal, colloquial conversations.
EXAMPLE
Durch das viele Sitzen hat sie etwas Speck an den Hüften bekommen.
She has put on some fat around her hips from sitting so much.
Fixed expression
In the expression 'Speck ansetzen' (to put on belly fat), 'Speck' is used without an article and refers to increasing body size. The verb 'ansetzen' is separated when it appears in second position in a main clause.
EXAMPLE
Im Winter setzt er schnell Speck an.
He quickly puts on belly fat in winter.
Using an idiom
'Mit Speck fängt man Mäuse' (you can catch mice with bacon) is used as a general explanation when an offer or reward is meant to attract someone. The idiom often stands alone or follows a statement and explains why an advantage works.
EXAMPLE
Sie versprach den Kindern einen Ausflug: Mit Speck fängt man Mäuse.
She promised the children a trip: You can catch mice with bacon.
In real life
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