genießen

Genießen is a German verb meaning to enjoy, to take pleasure in, or to savor. It can refer to the enjoyment of food and drink as well as to experiences, moments, or life in general. The verb is transitive and usually takes a direct object, as in Ich genieße den Moment. It is common in phrases such as das Leben genießen or die Aussicht genießen.

Etymology and forms: Genießen comes from the Germanic language family and has cognates in other Germanic languages, such as Dutch genieten and the English verb enjoy. The stem vowel shifts in the present tense, yielding forms like ich genieße, du genießt, er genießt, wir genießen, ihr genießt, sie genießen. The simple past is genoss (ich/genoss, er genoss, wir genossen, etc.), and the past participle is genossen. The verb can also appear in the imperative: Genießen Sie die Aussicht.

Usage notes: Genießen typically requires an object in the accusative, for example den Moment, das Essen, den Urlaub. It can be used with food and drink, experiences, or general life experiences. The noun Genießen exists but is more common in the related noun Genießen as the act of enjoying; the separate noun Genuss expresses a broader sense of pleasure or indulgence. The related noun Genießer denotes a person who enjoys things carefully or as a connoisseur.

Examples: Ich genieße den Duft des Kaffees. Wir genießen den Urlaub am Meer. Man sollte jede Gelegenheit zum Genießen nutzen. Genießen Sie die Aussicht!