barsch
brusque
Describes an unfriendly, abrupt, and curt way of speaking or acting.
EXAMPLE
Er gab mir eine barsche Antwort und drehte sich weg.
He gave me a brusque answer and turned away.
barsch
brusque
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Meanings
Usage tips
Origin of the word
The adjective 'barsch' (brusque) is related to the fish 'der Barsch' (perch). The fish has spiny fins, and the adjective describes a similarly 'spiky', that is, abrupt and unfriendly, style of communication.
EXAMPLE
Seine Reaktion auf meine Frage war unerwartet barsch.
His reaction to my question was unexpectedly brusque.
Typical collocations
'Barsch' (brusque) usually describes the manner of communication. Common combinations are 'ein barscher Ton' (a brusque tone), 'eine barsche Antwort' (a brusque answer), or verbs like 'jemanden barsch ansprechen' (to address someone brusquely).
EXAMPLE
Mit einem barschen Ton wies er uns zurecht.
He reprimanded us in a brusque tone.
Use in a sentence
You can use 'barsch' (brusque) as an adjective before a noun or as an adverb to describe a verb. It can also be used with 'sein' (to be) and the preposition 'zu' (to).
EXAMPLE
Der Chef war heute sehr barsch zu seinen Mitarbeitern.
The boss was very brusque with his employees today.
Compare with
barsch vs rau
rough
Rau and barsch can both describe an unfriendly manner of dealing with others. Rau emphasizes general roughness and a lack of sensitivity, while barsch emphasizes a short, brusque, and dismissive reaction. Use rau for the overall manner and barsch for a single abrupt remark or action.
barsch
Auf die freundliche Frage gab der Vorarbeiter eine barsche Antwort.
The foreman gave a brusque reply to the friendly question.
rau
Der raue Umgangston des Vorarbeiters machte die neuen Mitarbeiter unsicher.
The foreman's rough manner made the new employees feel uneasy.
In real life
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