speien
to spit
To eject something from the mouth, especially saliva or mucus; to spit.
EXAMPLE
Das Kind spie dem Fremden vor die Füße.
The child spat at the stranger's feet.
speien
to spit / spew
speien – spie – hat gespien
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Meanings
speien
to vomit
To eject the contents of the stomach from the body; to vomit.
EXAMPLE
Nach der langen Busfahrt musste er speien.
After the long bus ride, he had to vomit.
speien
to spew
To eject fire, smoke, lava, or something similar with great force, especially from a volcano or industrial facility.
EXAMPLE
Der Vulkan speit seit Stunden Lava und Asche.
The volcano has been spewing lava and ash for hours.
Gift und Galle speien
to spew venom and bile
To speak about someone or something in a very angry, malicious, or hateful way.
EXAMPLE
In seiner Rede spie er Gift und Galle gegen seine politischen Gegner.
In his speech, he spewed venom and bile at his political opponents.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry speien, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
Present
| ich | speie |
|---|---|
| du | speist |
| er/sie/es | speit |
| wir | speien |
| ihr | speit |
| sie | speien |
Simple past
| ich | spie |
|---|---|
| du | spiest |
| er/sie/es | spie |
| wir | spien |
| ihr | spiet |
| sie | spien |
Perfect
with haben
| ich | habe gespien |
|---|---|
| du | hast gespien |
| er/sie/es | hat gespien |
| wir | haben gespien |
| ihr | habt gespien |
| sie | haben gespien |
Commands
| du | speie! spei! |
|---|---|
| ihr | speit! |
| Sie | speien Sie! |
Past perfect
| ich | hatte gespien |
|---|---|
| du | hattest gespien |
| er/sie/es | hatte gespien |
| wir | hatten gespien |
| ihr | hattet gespien |
| sie | hatten gespien |
Future
| ich | werde speien |
|---|---|
| du | wirst speien |
| er/sie/es | wird speien |
| wir | werden speien |
| ihr | werdet speien |
| sie | werden speien |
Subjunctive I
| ich | speie |
|---|---|
| du | speiest |
| er/sie/es | speie |
| wir | speien |
| ihr | speiet |
| sie | speien |
Used for reported speech.
Subjunctive II
| ich | spie |
|---|---|
| du | spiest |
| er/sie/es | spie |
| wir | spien |
| ihr | spiet |
| sie | spien |
Used for wishes and “would”.
Other forms
| infinitive | speien |
|---|---|
| with zu | zu speien |
| present participle | speiend |
| past participle | gespien |
Usage tips
Directional phrases
With „speien“ (to spit), a directional phrase with „in“ or „auf“ (into or at) followed by the accusative can be used. If the action is directed at a person, that person can additionally appear in the dative.
EXAMPLE
Der wütende Mann spie seinem Gegner ins Gesicht.
The angry man spat in his opponent's face.
Without a reflexive pronoun
In this meaning, „speien“ (to vomit) is used without a reflexive pronoun and usually without an object. It frequently occurs together with „müssen“ (to have to).
EXAMPLE
Auf dem schwankenden Schiff musste sie mehrmals speien.
On the swaying ship, she had to vomit several times.
Typical collocations
Typical collocations are „Feuer speien“ (to spew fire), „Lava speien“ (to spew lava), and „Asche speien“ (to spew ash). „Feuer speien“ (to spew fire) also occurs in stories about dragons; the material being ejected appears as an accusative object.
EXAMPLE
Der Drache hob den Kopf und spie Feuer.
The dragon raised its head and spewed fire.
Fixed expression
Learn „Gift und Galle speien“ (to spew venom and bile) as a fixed expression with „und“ (and) and without an article before either noun. „Gegen“ (at/against) followed by the accusative can indicate whom the anger is directed at.
EXAMPLE
Nach seiner Entlassung spie er Gift und Galle gegen seinen ehemaligen Chef.
After being fired, he spewed venom and bile at his former boss.
In real life
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