genießen
/ɡəˈniːsn̩/
The German verb for 'to enjoy' is genießen. Wiktionary also lists sich erfreuen an.
Meaning: to receive pleasure or satisfaction from something (verb)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| genießen | /ɡəˈniːsn̩/ /ɡəˈniːsən/ |
| sich erfreuen an | /zɪç ɛʁˈfʁɔʏ̯ən an/ (word by word) |
genießen is the standard verb used for enjoying things such as food, nature or a specific experience. It takes a direct accusative object.
Which one should you use?
While genießen is the standard way to express enjoyment, sich erfreuen an is a more formal alternative. This phrase often implies finding delight or joy in something specific, such as a particular view or a certain quality.
How does it change in a sentence?
The simple past form of genießen is genoss, and the past participle is genossen.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡəˈniːsn̩/
Did you know?
- While you might 'genießen' a meal, the word 'genossen' is also the past participle of 'genießen', but in modern German, 'Genossen' refers to political comrades or fellow party members.
- To tell someone to enjoy their meal, Germans use Guten Appetit instead of a form of genießen.
- The word genießen can also mean 'to possess' or 'to have' in certain formal contexts, such as when someone 'enjoys' a good reputation.
Examples in context
- Genießen Sie die Vorführung.Enjoy the show.This sentence uses genießen to show how to tell someone to enjoy a show.Tatoeba #1683877 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #1683856 by Spamster
- Du sollst die Ferien genießen.You should enjoy your holidays.This sentence uses genießen to suggest enjoying holidays.Tatoeba #6776891 by ruth_tatoeba, translation #12361450 by sundown
- Sami wollte sein Leben genießen.Sami wanted to enjoy his life.This sentence uses genießen to describe wanting to enjoy life.Tatoeba #13378751 by Vortarulo, translation #7278232 by OsoHombre
- Genießen Sie das Essen!Enjoy the meal!
- Viel Spaß!Have fun!
- 54 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “enjoy” translations and entries genießen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (sich, erfreuen, an) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
