Verb

schmieren

hat geschmiert · schmierte
Based on: *smeru-
1.

to smear

(The literal act of smearing something somewhere. Also used colloquially for having a really bad handwriting and for making a sandwich. )
+ Add Note
Examples
  • Maria hat Butter auf das Brötchen geschmiert.
  • Maria smeared butter on the bread roll.
2.

to grease, to lube

(Mainly for mechanical devices. Think a bike.)
+ Add Note
Examples
  • Ich schmiere die Fahrradkette, damit sie besser läuft.
  • I grease the bicycle chain so it runs better.
3.

to bribe

("jemanden schmieren" - Very colloquial term. The person being bribed is the direct object.)
+ Add Note
Examples
  • Schmierst du den Türsteher, damit wir reinkommen?
  • Are you bribing the bouncer so we can get in?

Word Family

Knowing relations between words can help understand their meanings and build a more connected vocabulary network. Here, you can explore parents and offspring and discover the whole family.

  • shows how many children or parents the word has
  • get the translations and a link
Loading word family…
Sources for Etymology:

Questions and Comments

Do you have questions about the usage or meaning of “schmieren”? Just ask here and I’ll try to clear it up.

guest

0 Comments
Newest
Oldest

How many meanings does the German word 'schmieren' have?

schmieren has 3 distinct meanings: 1. to smear, 2. to grease, to lube, 3. to bribe.

What is the past tense of 'schmieren'?

hat geschmiert / schmierte

What is 'schmieren' related to?

The word 'schmieren' is related to *smeru-.

Where can I learn more about 'schmieren'?

Check out the main YourDailyGerman Dictionary for more German vocabulary entries.