The second act represents one of the tortuous alleys and a long straight street of the quaint old city of Nuremberg.  On one side is Hans Sachs’s modest shoemaker’s shop, on the other the entrance to Pogner’s stately dwelling.  It is evening, and David, the shoemaker’s apprentice, is leisurely putting up the shutters, when his attention is suddenly attracted by Magdalena, who appears with a basket of dainties.  She however refuses to give them to him until he tells her the result of the musical examination.  When she hears that Walther has failed and has been refused admittance to the guild, she pettishly snatches the basket from his grasp and flounces off in great displeasure.  The other apprentices, who in the mean while have slyly drawn near, now make unmerciful fun of David, who stands stupidly in the middle of the street gazing regretfully after her.

This rough play is soon ended by the appearance of Hans Sachs.  He orders all the apprentices to bed, and, by a judicious application of his strap, drives David into the house.  Quiet has just been restored once more, when Pogner and Eva come sauntering down the street, returning from their customary evening walk, and sit down side by side on the bench in front of their door.

Here Pogner tries to sound his daughter’s feelings, and to discover whether she has any preference among the morrow’s candidates, reiterating his decision, however, that he will never allow her to marry any one except a man who has publicly won the title of Master Singer.  As he cannot ascertain his daughter’s feelings, he soon enters the house, while Eva lingers outside watching for Walther’s promised visit.  She is soon joined by Magdalena, who sorrowfully tells her that Walther has been rejected; but, as she can give no details about the examination, Eva timidly approaches Hans Sachs’s window hoping to learn more from him.  The cobbler is sitting at work near his window, singing a song of his own composition, and the maiden soon enters into a bantering conversation with her old friend.

In answer to Hans Sachs’s questions, she soon confides to him that she cannot endure Beckmesser, and to flatter him into a good humour she archly suggests that, as he too is a widower, he ought to compete for her hand.  Hans Sachs, who is far too shrewd not to see through her girlish fencing, now resolves to discover whether she is as indifferent to the young knight, and in order to do so he drops a few careless and contemptuous remarks about him, which drive the young lady away in a very bad temper.

Smiling maliciously at the success of his ruse, the cobbler cheerfully continues his work, while Eva rejoins Magdalena, who informs her that Beckmesser has signified his intention to serenade her that very night.  Eva cares naught for the widower’s music, and, only intent upon securing a private interview with the handsome young knight, refuses to re-enter the house; so Magdalena leaves her to answer Pogner’s call.