Lecken

Lecken is a German verb meaning to lick, the action of using the tongue to touch a surface. It is used for people, animals, food, wounds, and other objects. In everyday German it appears with literal meaning (Der Hund leckt seine Pfote; Sie leckt ein Eis) and in various contexts where licking is involved. The verb is regular in standard conjugation: ich lecke, du leckst, er leckt, wir lecken, ihr leckt, sie lecken; the simple past is leckte, and the past participle is geleckt, used with the auxiliary haben (ich habe geleckt). It can also occur reflexively in phrases such as sich die Lippen lecken, meaning to lick one’s lips, often to indicate anticipation or savor.

Usage notes and nuance: Lecken is primarily literal, but can be used figuratively in literature or descriptive prose to convey savoring, dampness, or teasing actions. The noun das Lecken exists but is relatively uncommon and typically appears in formal or descriptive contexts. Expressions involving the lips (“sich die Lippen lecken”) are common in spoken German and literature.

Etymology and related terms: Lecken belongs to the West Germanic verb family and has cognates in other Germanic languages, such as English lick and Dutch likken. The term is widely recognized in standard German and appears in many compounds and phrases dealing with taste, cleanliness, or sensory description.

Other uses: Lecken can also be a surname, though it is uncommon and with limited public prominence. It is most often encountered as a verb in everyday language rather than as a personal name.