Modern German Grammar: A Practical Guide, Second Edition

Rosenkohl esse ich sehr gern.

I really like Brussels sprouts.

(c) Talking about reactions to food and drink

Enquiring about specific likes and dislikes usually involves the verb schmecken, which

literally means ‘to taste’ but has the implication ‘to taste good’:

Wie schmeckt dir der Apfelkuchen?

How do you like the apple cake?

 See 19.7 (p. 29) for impersonal verbs. See also^115 (pp. 412–15) on ‘Enjoyment and pleasure’.

Hat es geschmeckt?

Did you like it?

Es war sehr gut/ausgezeichnet/zu salzig/leider nicht so gut.

It was very good/excellent/too salty/not so good, I’m afraid.

To express a food’s particular quality one might say:

Das Essen ist zu kalt/heiß.

The food is too cold/hot (in temperature).

Das ist zu scharf/süß/sauer.

That is too hot (i.e. in flavour)/sweet/sour.

To find out if someone has tried a particular item, ask:

Hast du den Kuchen schon versucht/probiert?

Have you tried the cake yet?

(d) Making plans to eat and drink

If offering to prepare food and drink, one might say (see also 96.2 on ‘Making an offer’):

Soll ich Kaffee/etwas zu essen machen?

Should I make some coffee/something to eat?

Was sollen wir kochen?

What shall we cook/make?

To find out when food will be ready, ask:

Wie lange dauert es noch?

How much longer will it take?

Wann ist das Essen fertig?

When will the meal be ready?

Wann gibt es Essen?

At what time are we eating?

 See 34.2c (p. 71) for this use of the present tense.

64 Giving and receiving compliments

British students should note that many Germans do not appreciate the implications

of understatement and are likely to interpret it as lack of interest. On the other hand,

64

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