die Speise
food
Food or something edible that serves as nourishment. The word is used especially in elevated or formal written language.
EXAMPLE
Wochenlang waren Brot und Wasser seine einzige Speise.
For weeks, bread and water were his only food.
die Speise
food / dish
die Speise, die Speisen
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Meanings
die Speise
dish
A specific prepared dish or an individual course of a meal.
EXAMPLE
Als warme Speise gibt es heute Gemüse mit Reis.
Today's hot dish is vegetables with rice.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Speise, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | feminine die |
|---|---|
| plural | die Speisen |
| genitive | der Speise |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | die Speise | die Speisen |
| accusative | die Speise | die Speisen |
| dative | der Speise | den Speisen |
| genitive | der Speise | der Speisen |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Plural in everyday use
In everyday life, the word is especially common in the plural “Speisen” (dishes), for example in the phrase “Speisen und Getränke” (food and drinks) on menus, bills, and notices.
EXAMPLE
Speisen und Getränke sind im Eintrittspreis enthalten.
Food and drinks are included in the admission price.
Speise und Trank
In the elevated sense of “nourishment,” “Speise” is often used in the set phrase “Speise und Trank” (food and drink). It refers to food and drink in general, especially in festive or literary texts.
EXAMPLE
Für Speise und Trank der Gäste war reichlich gesorgt.
There was plenty of food and drink for the guests.
Typical collocations
For an individual dish or course, “Speise” is especially common in combinations such as “warme Speise” (hot dish), “kalte Speise” (cold dish), “eine Speise auswählen” (to choose a dish), and “eine Speise servieren” (to serve a dish).
EXAMPLE
Die Gäste konnten aus mehreren warmen Speisen auswählen.
The guests could choose from several hot dishes.
In real life
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