die Spucke
spit / saliva
The fluid produced in the mouth; saliva.
EXAMPLE
Der Arzt nahm eine Probe von seiner Spucke.
The doctor took a sample of his saliva.
die Spucke
spit / saliva
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Meanings
jemandem bleibt die Spucke weg
to be speechless
An idiom meaning that someone is speechless from surprise, shock, or amazement.
EXAMPLE
Als sie die Rechnung sah, blieb ihr die Spucke weg.
When she saw the bill, she was left speechless.
Usage tips
Word family
The noun 'die Spucke' (spit/saliva) belongs to the word family of the verb 'spucken' (to spit). It refers to the fluid that one can spit out.
EXAMPLE
Der Bauarbeiter spuckte auf den Boden.
The construction worker spat on the ground.
Register
'Spucke' (spit/saliva) is the colloquial, everyday expression for the fluid in the mouth. In a medical or scientific context, the word 'der Speichel' (saliva) is used.
EXAMPLE
Wisch dir mal die Spucke vom Mundwinkel.
Wipe the spit from the corner of your mouth.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'jemandem bleibt die Spucke weg' (someone is left speechless) is fixed. The person who is speechless is always in the dative.
EXAMPLE
Als er den Hauptpreis gewann, blieb ihm vor Freude die Spucke weg.
When he won the grand prize, he was left speechless with joy.
Compare with
Spucke vs Speichel
saliva
Spucke and Speichel refer to the same fluid in the mouth. Spucke is clearly colloquial and is especially suitable for casual conversations, while Speichel sounds neutral and is also common in factual or medical texts. Therefore, choose the word mainly according to the situation and style of speech.
Spucke
Nach dem langen Lauf war mein Mund ganz trocken und ich hatte kaum Spucke.
After the long run, my mouth was completely dry and I had hardly any saliva.
Speichel
Der Speichel im Mund hilft dabei, die Nahrung zu verdauen.
The saliva in your mouth helps digest food.
In real life
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