It seems to me there is no equivalent to this word in English, is there??? Help!
2007-09-27 22:31:45 · 11 answers · asked by Chickoon 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
An equivalent in UK English might be 'scoff' which usually means throw food down your throat in large quantities or hurriedly. Try entering that in a UK English thesaurus
2007-09-27 22:43:14 · answer #1 · answered by glp09 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The answers above are relevant when talking pejoratively about people. But if you ARE talking about animals the answer is very simply "eat". They have a word for eating when it's for animals doing it (fressen) and a word for humans (essen). Other than pejoratives or for artistic effect, they are translated exactly the same in English (to eat). From a German's perspective WE have a few two word possibilities (to do OR to make = machen is the first that comes to mind) that they just use one word for. Simple answer; to eat :-)
2007-09-28 01:04:56 · answer #2 · answered by The Irish Dragon 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The American equivalent of "scoff" is scarf down, sounds about right.
2007-09-28 00:17:14 · answer #3 · answered by Goddess of Grammar 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
fressen is the verb to eat as relating to animals not humans
Leute essen und Tiere fressen.
In English I would say that someone is making a pig of themselves or gorging themselves.
The animals are feeding from the trough.
2007-09-27 22:38:12 · answer #4 · answered by lizzie 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
When used of animals, to eat or to feed (used intransitively)
When used colloquially of people, to scoff, to scoff one's face is probably the closest (this is UK slang; it may be different in US English)
2007-09-27 23:07:16 · answer #5 · answered by GrahamH 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
not really - I think its equivalent to shoving food down your throat
or eating like a pig would probably sum it up
2007-09-27 22:39:45 · answer #6 · answered by soulsurfer 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's how animals eat.
I would probably translate it as "gobble" or "gobble up"
When I was kid my german grandparents used to joke about our bad table manners with "fressen"
2007-09-27 22:59:04 · answer #7 · answered by Alyosha 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it's all spice. Gewurz with the oomlat means spice
2016-04-06 04:53:22 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, there is no direct equivalent.
What the best expression is depends on what you want to say exactly.
2007-09-27 22:39:43 · answer #9 · answered by mainsqueeze1977 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It can also be used as a noun:
"Der hund moechtet sein fressen".
But it is derogatory, when applied to humans...
2007-09-27 22:39:51 · answer #10 · answered by kryrinn 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋