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ausgelesen
exquisite
Of especially high quality and carefully selected. Often used for wine, books, or food.
example
Zum Dessert servierte er eine Platte mit ausgelesenen Früchten.
For dessert, he served a platter of exquisite fruits.
ausgelesen
exquisite / selected
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Meanings
Usage tips
Participle as adjective
'Ausgelesen' (selected) is the past participle of the verb 'auslesen'. Here, 'auslesen' means 'to select carefully'. An 'ausgelesener' object is therefore literally something that has been carefully selected.
EXAMPLE
Für diesen besonderen Wein werden die Trauben von Hand ausgelesen.
For this special wine, the grapes are selected by hand.
Two meanings
When 'ausgelesen' appears before a noun, it means 'erlesen' (exquisite) or 'exquisit' (exquisite). When it stands alone at the end of a sentence, it can also mean that something has been read to the end. The sentence structure helps you recognize the meaning.
EXAMPLE
Er hat einen sehr ausgelesenen Geschmack bei Büchern.
He has very exquisite taste in books.
Typical collocations
The adjective is often used to emphasize the high quality of things that can be enjoyed. Typical combinations are 'ausgelesene Weine' (exquisite wines), 'ausgelesene Zutaten' (selected ingredients), or also 'ein ausgelesenes Publikum' (a select audience).
EXAMPLE
Das Menü bestand aus fünf Gängen mit ausgelesenen Spezialitäten der Region.
The menu consisted of five courses with exquisite regional specialties.
Compare with
ausgelesen vs gewöhnlich
ordinary / usually
'gewöhnlich' and 'ausgelesen' are opposites when it comes to quality and selection. 'gewöhnlich' describes something normal or everyday, without any special selection. 'ausgelesen' describes something of especially high quality that has been carefully selected. The word sounds rather elevated and fits especially well with wine, food, or books. For normal everyday things, you would more likely say 'gewöhnlich'; for a deliberately fine selection, 'ausgelesen' is more appropriate.
ausgelesen
Zum Fest serviert das Restaurant ausgelesene Weine und kleine Speisen.
For the celebration, the restaurant serves exquisite wines and small dishes.
gewöhnlich
Wegen des Wetters blieb sie zu Hause und kochte ein gewöhnliches Abendessen.
Because of the weather, she stayed home and cooked an ordinary dinner.
In real life
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