to plaster / to polish off
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to plaster
To cover a wall or ceiling with a layer of plaster (mortar) in order to smooth or protect it.
Der Maurer wird morgen die Außenwand des Hauses verputzen.
The mason will plaster the outside wall of the house tomorrow.
The verb 'verputzen' (to plaster/to polish off) is inseparable. The prefix 'ver-' remains firmly attached to the stem 'putzen' (to clean) in all sentence forms and is not placed at the end of the sentence.
Er verputzt die Wand im Wohnzimmer.
He is plastering the wall in the living room.
The two meanings are easy to distinguish. If it is about construction work, walls, or houses, it means smoothing with mortar. If it is about food, it means eating something up quickly.
Wir müssen die Garage noch von außen verputzen.
We still have to plaster the outside of the garage.
The meaning 'to eat something up quickly' is used only in colloquial language. In a formal context, this choice of words would be inappropriate.
Nach dem Sport habe ich eine ganze Pizza verputzt.
After exercising, I polished off a whole pizza.
In a trade or construction context, the verb is often combined with the objects 'eine Wand' (a wall), 'eine Decke' (a ceiling), or 'eine Fassade' (a facade).
Die Handwerker haben die Fassade des alten Gebäudes neu verputzt.
The workers replastered the facade of the old building.
to clean
'putzen' and 'verputzen' look similar, but they usually mean something different. 'putzen' means to clean something. 'verputzen' is used in construction when a wall or ceiling is covered with plaster. Colloquially, 'verputzen' can also mean that someone eats something up completely. The risk of confusion mainly comes from the similar form. For cleaning, you say 'putzen', not 'verputzen'. 'verputzen' only fits with walls, or in the casual meaning related to eating.
Die Handwerker haben die Wand im Wohnzimmer neu verputzt.
The workers replastered the wall in the living room.
Nach der Feier müssen wir noch den Flur putzen.
After the party, we still have to clean the hallway.