quetschen

Quetschen is a German term with two main senses, depending on dialect and context. As a standard German verb, quetschen means to squeeze, press, or crush something, often with the nuance of extracting juice or forcing something into a tight space. It is used both literally (to squeeze fruit for juice) and figuratively (to crowd or cram people together), with common compounds such as ausquetschen (to squeeze out) or zusammenquetschen (to press together).

As a noun, especially in southern German dialects such as Bavarian and Austrian, Quetschen refers to plums, specifically the Zwetschgen variety. In standard German, plums are typically called Pflaumen or Zwetschgen, but in dialect speech Quetschen is widely used. The fruit is central to regional culinary traditions and is often used in baked goods and preserves. Dishes associated with Quetschen include Quetschenkuchen or Quetschentaart, a plum cake that is popular in parts of Austria and southern Germany.

Etymology traces Quetschen to the verb quetschen (to squeeze or press). The noun sense reflects the dialectal naming of the fruit, rather than a separate botanical category. In everyday language, speakers may switch between the verb form and the dialect noun depending on context, yielding a concise and versatile term in German-speaking regions.