schnappen
Translation
to snatch, to grab, to snap
Examples
Der Hund schnappt nach dem Ball.
The dog snaps at the ball.
Er schnappt sich ein Stück Kuchen.
He grabs himself a piece of cake.
Die Polizei schnappt den Dieb.
The police catch the thief.
Grammar Patterns
((sb./sth.)) to snatch/catch sb./sth. The police catch the thief.
nach+3 to snap at sth. The dog snaps at the ball.
sich(dat) sth.(acc) to grab sth. for oneself He grabs himself a piece of cake.
Similar Words
greifen (to grab), fangen (to catch), packen (to seize)
Etymology
Onomatopoeic, imitating the sound of a quick grab or bite, much like the English word 'snap'.
Memory Tips
Imagine the sound a trap makes when it closes: 'SNAP!'. That quick, decisive action is 'schnappen'.