Thread: съесть против поесть

поесть = to have a meal
съесть = to eat something up

So "Я поел бутерброд" is incorrect.

поесть = to have a meal
съесть = to eat something up

So "Я поел бутерброд" is incorrect.

So the one can stand alone the other cannot.
съесть + type of food
поесть + nothing

Originally Posted by Antonio1986

So the one can stand alone the other cannot.
съесть + type of food
поесть + nothing

You can say "Я поел бутербродов" but unlikely "Я поел бутерброд" (though it becomes more likely if бутерброд is VERY big). Бутерброды here treated as uncountable.

I'd say that "поесть" means "to spend some time eating".