Bedeutung
To take back what was said.
Kultureller Hintergrund
In Slovenian culture, admitting you are wrong is seen as a sign of 'karakter' (character). Using 'pojesti besedo' shows you are not too proud to admit a mistake. In the broader Balkan region, 'eating words' is a common metaphor, but the Slovenian version is often used more politely than the harsher Serbian or Croatian equivalents. In villages, 'beseda' (the word) is sacred. If you 'eat' it too often, people will stop trusting you entirely. Slovenian journalists love using this phrase in headlines to point out when a politician changes their mind.
Use it for humility
Using this phrase makes you sound more native and humble than just saying 'I was wrong'.
Don't over-eat
If you 'eat your word' too often, you might be seen as unreliable (nezanesljiv).
Bedeutung
To take back what was said.
Use it for humility
Using this phrase makes you sound more native and humble than just saying 'I was wrong'.
Don't over-eat
If you 'eat your word' too often, you might be seen as unreliable (nezanesljiv).
The 'Požreti' variation
Only use 'požreti besedo' with very close friends or when you are genuinely angry at yourself.
Teste dich selbst
Izberi pravilno obliko glagola (Choose the correct verb form).
Včeraj sem rekel, da ne pridem, danes pa sem moral ______ besedo.
We need the infinitive perfective form 'pojesti' after the modal verb 'moral'.
Dopolni stavek s pravilno obliko samostalnika 'beseda'.
On nikoli ne poje svoje ______.
After 'ne poje' (negation), we use the genitive case 'besede'.
Poveži situacijo z ustreznim odzivom.
Situacija: Rekel si, da je film dolgčasen, a ti je na koncu všeč.
You are retracting your previous negative opinion.
Dopolni dialog.
A: 'Si rekel, da boš zmagal?' B: 'Ja, ampak zdaj moram ______ ______.'
The context of losing a match after boasting requires this idiom.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenVčeraj sem rekel, da ne pridem, danes pa sem moral ______ besedo.
We need the infinitive perfective form 'pojesti' after the modal verb 'moral'.
On nikoli ne poje svoje ______.
After 'ne poje' (negation), we use the genitive case 'besede'.
Situacija: Rekel si, da je film dolgčasen, a ti je na koncu všeč.
You are retracting your previous negative opinion.
A: 'Si rekel, da boš zmagal?' B: 'Ja, ampak zdaj moram ______ ______.'
The context of losing a match after boasting requires this idiom.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenNo, it is generally neutral. It can even be seen as polite because you are admitting a mistake.
Yes, 'pojesti besede' (to eat words) is used if you are retracting multiple statements.
'Pojesti' is neutral (to eat), while 'požreti' is more aggressive (to swallow/gulp).
No, it's for the meaning of what you said, not the spelling.
Yes, it is used all over Slovenia.
You can say 'Nikoli ne bom pojedel svoje besede.'
Usually yes, but you can tell someone else 'Moral boš pojesti besedo' (You will have to eat your word).
Yes, it is a very common literary idiom.
Yes, it's perfect for that situation.
The opposite is 'držati besedo' (to keep one's word).
Verwandte Redewendungen
Držati besedo
contrastTo keep one's word/promise.
Vzeti besedo nazaj
synonymTo take back one's word.
Beseda ni konj
similarA word is not a horse (it doesn't cost much to ask).
Dati besedo
builds onTo give one's word (to promise).
