stochern
to poke
To repeatedly push a pointed or thin object into something or stir it around inside something.
EXAMPLE
Er stochert mit einem Stock in der Erde.
He pokes at the soil with a stick.
stochern
to poke
stochern – stocherte – hat gestochert
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Meanings
stochern
to poke at food
To move food around listlessly with a fork without really eating.
EXAMPLE
Das Kind stochert nur in seinem Gemüse.
The child just pokes at their vegetables.
im Dunkeln stochern
to grope in the dark
To try to clarify or find something out without enough information or a clear goal.
EXAMPLE
Ohne weitere Hinweise stochern wir bei der Suche nach der Ursache im Dunkeln.
Without further clues, we are groping in the dark as we search for the cause.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry stochern, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
Present
| ich | stochere stochre |
|---|---|
| du | stocherst |
| er/sie/es | stochert |
| wir | stochern |
| ihr | stochert |
| sie | stochern |
Simple past
| ich | stocherte |
|---|---|
| du | stochertest |
| er/sie/es | stocherte |
| wir | stocherten |
| ihr | stochertet |
| sie | stocherten |
Perfect
with haben
| ich | habe gestochert |
|---|---|
| du | hast gestochert |
| er/sie/es | hat gestochert |
| wir | haben gestochert |
| ihr | habt gestochert |
| sie | haben gestochert |
Commands
| du | stocher! stochre!, stochere! |
|---|---|
| ihr | stochert! |
| Sie | stochern Sie! |
Past perfect
| ich | hatte gestochert |
|---|---|
| du | hattest gestochert |
| er/sie/es | hatte gestochert |
| wir | hatten gestochert |
| ihr | hattet gestochert |
| sie | hatten gestochert |
Future
| ich | werde stochern |
|---|---|
| du | wirst stochern |
| er/sie/es | wird stochern |
| wir | werden stochern |
| ihr | werdet stochern |
| sie | werden stochern |
Subjunctive I
| ich | stochere stochre |
|---|---|
| du | stocherst |
| er/sie/es | stochere stochre |
| wir | stochern |
| ihr | stochert |
| sie | stochern |
Used for reported speech.
Subjunctive II
| ich | stocherte |
|---|---|
| du | stochertest |
| er/sie/es | stocherte |
| wir | stocherten |
| ihr | stochertet |
| sie | stocherten |
Used for wishes and “would”.
Other forms
| infinitive | stochern |
|---|---|
| with zu | zu stochern |
| present participle | stochernd |
| past participle | gestochert |
Usage tips
Typical construction
With 'stochern' (to poke), 'mit' (with) often introduces the tool used, and 'in' (in) introduces the place or object being poked. Both prepositions take the dative case in this construction.
EXAMPLE
Sie stochert mit einem Zweig in der feuchten Erde.
She pokes at the damp soil with a twig.
Food context
When referring to eating, 'stochern' (to poke at food) is often combined with 'lustlos' (listlessly), 'nur' (just), or 'im Essen' (in one's food). The expression usually indicates that someone has no appetite or is not really eating.
EXAMPLE
Beim Abendessen stochert er lustlos in seinem Teller herum.
At dinner, he listlessly pokes at the food on his plate.
Fixed expression
'Im Dunkeln stochern' (to grope in the dark) is a fixed figurative expression. It is often used in combinations such as 'weiter im Dunkeln stochern' (to continue groping in the dark) and describes a search without enough clues.
EXAMPLE
Ohne verlässliche Daten stochert das Team bei der Ursachenforschung im Dunkeln.
Without reliable data, the team is groping in the dark as it investigates the cause.
In real life
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