fraßen

Fraßen is the simple past tense (Präteritum) form of the German verb fressen, which means to eat or devour. Fressen is used primarily for animals or in figurative, coarse contexts, whereas essen is used for humans. Fraßen, in contrast, is the form that appears with plural subjects in the past.

In ordinary narration, fraßen is most commonly found with plural animate subjects, such as groups of animals. For example: Die Hunde fraßen den Knochen schnell. The use with humans is rare and typically stylistic, humorous, or emphatic, and in everyday standard writing people usually use essen or refer to past tense forms of essen instead.

Conjugation notes: fraßen is the Präteritum form that corresponds to plural subjects (wir fraßen, sie fraßen). The related past participle is gefressen, used with the perfect or pluperfect (Wir haben gefressen). Because fressen marks a more voracious or animal-like eating action, its past forms carry a stronger connotation than the corresponding forms of essen.

Related terms: Fraß is a noun meaning the act of eating or the damage caused by eating (e.g., Fraßschaden). The distinction between fressen and essen reflects who is eating: animals or humans, and in what register the expression is used.

See also: Fressen vs Essen, Fraß.