smaken

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsmaː.kə(n)/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: sma‧ken
• Rhymes: -aːkən

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch smaken, from Proto-West Germanic *smakēn (“to taste”). Equivalent to smaak +‎ -en.

Verb

smaken

1. (intransitive) to taste

   Deze soep smaakt me goed.

   This soup tastes good to me.

2. (intransitive) to taste good, to be likable in taste

   Smaakt het?

   Does it taste good? / Do you like it?

3. (proscribed, transitive) to experience; to enjoy

   Het succes van zijn noeste arbeid heeft hij niet meer mogen smaken.

   He has not been able to witness the success of his hard work.

   Laat het u smaken! ― Enjoy [the food]!

Usage notes

Where the english verb taste can confer both meanings, in Dutch proeven is typically only used for the activity of tasting something, whereas smaken is used to express food having flavour. Examples:

Wil je even proeven of de soep zout genoeg is? - Will you quickly have a taste whether the soup is salty enough?

De soep smaakte heerlijk na de lange wandeling. - The soup tasted deliciously after the long walk.

Conjugation

Conjugation of smaken (weak)
infinitive	smaken
past singular	smaakte
past participle	gesmaakt
infinitive	smaken
gerund	smaken n
	present tense	past tense
1st person singular	smaak	smaakte
2nd person sing. (jij)	smaakt, smaak2	smaakte
2nd person sing. (u)	smaakt	smaakte
2nd person sing. (gij)	smaakt	smaakte
3rd person singular	smaakt	smaakte
plural	smaken	smaakten
subjunctive sing.1	smake	smaakte
subjunctive plur.1	smaken	smaakten
imperative sing.	smaak
imperative plur.1	smaakt
participles	smakend	gesmaakt
1) Archaic. 2) In case of inversion.

Descendants

• Afrikaans: smaak
• Negerhollands: smak
• Skepi Creole Dutch: smack, smak
• → Papiamentu: smak, smaak (dated)

See also

• proeven

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

smaken

1. plural of smaak

Middle English

Alternative forms

• smake, smakie, smakkyn, smakyn
• smacky (Kent)

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle Low German smāken, from Old Saxon *smakōn, from Proto-West Germanic *smakēn; compare smacchen. Some forms are remodelled on smak.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsmakən/, /ˈsmaːkən/

Verb

smaken

1. (ambitransitive) To have a taste; to taste (something).

   Synonyms: savouren, smacchen, tasten

2. (ambitransitive, rare) To smell (of); to emit or sample an odour.
3. (transitive, rare) To be contaminated by; to be blemished with.

Conjugation

Conjugation of smaken (weak in -ed)

infinitive	(to) smaken, smake
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	smake	smaked
2nd-person singular	smakest	smakedest
3rd-person singular	smaketh	smaked
subjunctive singular	smake
imperative singular		—
plural1	smaken, smake	smakeden, smakede
imperative plural	smaketh, smake	—
participles	smakynge, smakende	smaked, ysmaked

¹ Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.

Descendants

• English: smack
• Scots: smack
• Yola: smack

References

• “smā̆ken, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Norwegian Bokmål

Noun

smaken m

1. definite singular of smak

Norwegian Nynorsk

Noun

smaken m

1. definite singular of smak

Swedish

Noun

smaken

1. definite singular of smak

Anagrams

• makens, masken