schmettern
German
editEtymology
editFrom Middle High German smetern (“to chatter, rattle”). In several dialects the word also means “to make a smacking sound”, which is perhaps the original meaning. Probably related with English smatter, Swedish smattra, though in all languages the word is attested rather late. Compare also German schnattern.
Pronunciation
editAudio: (file)
Verb
editschmettern (weak, third-person singular present schmettert, past tense schmetterte, past participle geschmettert, auxiliary haben)
- (transitive) to smash (throw violently)
- Wütend schmetterte er seine Tasche in die Ecke.
- He furiously smashed his bag into a corner.
- (transitive) to yell (something) in a resounding voice, especially in a commanding or sharp tone
- Der Feldwebel schmetterte seine Befehle über den Exerzierplatz.
- The sergeant yelled his commands over the parade ground.
- Er hatte viel zu viel getrunken und schmetterte derbe Sprüche durch den Saal.
- He had had a lot too much to drink and yelled ribald remarks through the hall.
- (transitive) to sing (something) loudly and cheerfully
- Sie lagen sich in den Armen und schmetterten die neuesten Karnevalsschlager.
- They were all embracing each other, belting out the most recent carnival songs.
- (intransitive, of such yells or songs, etc.) to resound loudly
- Die Fanfaren schmetterten durch die engen Gassen.
- The fanfares were sounding through the narrow lanes.
Conjugation
editinfinitive | schmettern | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
present participle | schmetternd | ||||
past participle | geschmettert | ||||
auxiliary | haben | ||||
indicative | subjunctive | ||||
singular | plural | singular | plural | ||
present | ich schmettre ich schmettere ich schmetter |
wir schmettern | i | ich schmettere ich schmettre |
wir schmettern |
du schmetterst | ihr schmettert | du schmetterest du schmettrest |
ihr schmetteret ihr schmettret | ||
er schmettert | sie schmettern | er schmettere er schmettre |
sie schmettern | ||
preterite | ich schmetterte | wir schmetterten | ii | ich schmetterte1 | wir schmetterten1 |
du schmettertest | ihr schmettertet | du schmettertest1 | ihr schmettertet1 | ||
er schmetterte | sie schmetterten | er schmetterte1 | sie schmetterten1 | ||
imperative | schmettre (du) schmetter (du) schmettere (du) |
schmettert (ihr) |
1Rare except in very formal contexts; alternative in würde normally preferred.
Derived terms
editFurther reading
edit- “schmettern” in Duden online
- “schmettern” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache