verzehren

Verzehren is a German verb meaning to eat or to consume, often with emphasis on complete or thorough eating. It covers eating food as well as the broader act of consuming or using up resources, time, or attention. The related noun Verzehr refers to the act or rate of consumption, as in Verzehr von Lebensmitteln.

Etymology and range: Verzehren is formed from the verb zehren (to feed, to sustain) with the prefix ver-, a common German productive pattern. The combination has the sense of consuming something to its end, beyond merely taking a bite. In addition to culinary use, verzehren is employed figuratively to describe depleting or exhausting things such as money, time, or energy.

Grammar and forms: Verzehren is a transitive, inseparable verb that takes a direct object. In the present tense, typical forms are ich verzehre, du verzehrst, er verzehrt. The past participle is verzehrt and it is used with the auxiliary haben, as in Ich habe den Kuchen verzehrt. The verb can be used with a wide range of objects, from food to abstract resources, to express complete consumption.

Usage notes: In everyday language, verzehren commonly refers to eating, especially consuming something entirely or eagerly. The noun Verzehr is widely used in contexts such as Verzehr von Lebensmitteln or der Verzehr von Energie. There is a literary or archaic idiom sich verzehren nach + dative, meaning to yearn for someone or something, though this usage is relatively rare in contemporary speech.