01
bedürftig
needy
Dependent on material or financial help from others because of poverty.
example
Die Organisation verteilt Lebensmittel an bedürftige Menschen in der Stadt.
The organization distributes food to needy people in the city.
bedürftig
needy
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
'Bedürftig' (needy) belongs to the word family of 'das Bedürfnis' (the desire or need). A needy person therefore has a strong need for something, usually basic help.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem langen Spaziergang war sein Bedürfnis nach einer Pause groß.
After the long walk, his need for a break was great.
Use as a noun
The adjective 'bedürftig' (needy) is very often used as a noun to refer to poor people. You then speak of 'den Bedürftigen' (the needy, plural) or 'einem Bedürftigen' (a needy person, masculine singular).
EXAMPLE
Die Organisation sammelt Spenden für Bedürftige.
The organization collects donations for the needy.
Compound adjectives
A very common use is the formation of compound adjectives. The thing that is needed comes before '-bedürftig' (-in need of), for example 'pflegebedürftig' (in need of care), 'hilfsbedürftig' (in need of help), or 'reparaturbedürftig' (in need of repair).
EXAMPLE
Das alte Fahrrad ist dringend reparaturbedürftig.
The old bicycle is urgently in need of repair.
Construction with genitive
In more formal or elevated language, 'bedürftig' (in need of) can be used with a noun in the genitive. This construction expresses what someone or something needs and often sounds somewhat old-fashioned.
EXAMPLE
Der Angeklagte war einer rechtlichen Beratung bedürftig.
The defendant was in need of legal advice.
Compare with
bedürftig vs brauchen
to need
'brauchen' and 'bedürftig' both have to do with a need or necessity. 'brauchen' is a verb: you directly say what someone needs. 'bedürftig' is an adjective and describes a state. It often sounds more formal and can mean that someone needs help because of poverty. But it can also mean that something needs care, rest, or explanation. Learners may confuse the words because both express 'to be in need of something'. A practical rule: for normal everyday sentences, you usually use 'brauchen'; 'bedürftig' fits better in descriptions like 'hilfsbedürftig' (in need of help) or 'pflegebedürftig' (in need of care).
bedürftig
Nach dem Unfall ist der alte Mann bedürftig und bekommt Hilfe von der Gemeinde.
After the accident, the old man is in need and receives help from the local community.
brauchen
Für den Bericht brauche ich noch die Zahlen vom letzten Monat.
For the report, I still need last month's figures.
In real life
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