Traditionally considered borrowed from Middle Low German smak (“taste; smell”) or Saterland Frisian smaka or Middle Dutch smake, which is supported by its use in 17th-century texts to mean not only “smell,” but also “taste.” This may however have been a purely written usage, given the absence at the time of a term for “taste;” other writings of the period suggest that the “taste” meaning was rare or unattested among speakers. If this is so, the word might actually not be a borrowing, but an indigenous formation, from the stem of the verb smakt (“to stifle; to choke; to gasp”) (q.v.), made into a 4th-declension feminine noun. Since ancient Baltic and Iranian tribes were neighbors for some time, there may also be influence from Iranian languages (cf. Ossetian смаг (smag, “odor”). Originally, smaka had a broader meaning, “smell, odor” (in general); in the 19th century, the phrase laba smaka “good odor” still occurred. Later on it switched senses with smarža (which used to mean “bad smell” but is now neutral; q.v.).[1]
smaka m
smaka f (4th declension)
From German Low German smaken.
smaka (present tense smakar or smaker, past tense smaka or smakte, past participle smaka or smakt, present participle smakande, imperative smak)
smaka m inan
Audio: | (file) |
smaka (present smakar, preterite smakade, supine smakat, imperative smaka)
Active | Passive | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Infinitive | smaka | smakas | ||
Supine | smakat | smakats | ||
Imperative | smaka | — | ||
Imper. plural1 | smaken | — | ||
Present | Past | Present | Past | |
Indicative | smakar | smakade | smakas | smakades |
Ind. plural1 | smaka | smakade | smakas | smakades |
Subjunctive2 | smake | smakade | smakes | smakades |
Participles | ||||
Present participle | smakande | |||
Past participle | smakad | |||
1 Archaic. 2 Dated. See the appendix on Swedish verbs. |