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brauchbar
usable / useful
Suitable or useful for a particular purpose; able to be used well.
example
Gib mir mal einen brauchbaren Tipp, was ich heute kochen soll.
Give me a useful tip on what I should cook today.
brauchbar
usable
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word structure
The adjective is made up of the verb stem 'brauch-' (from 'brauchen' (to need/use)) and the ending '-bar'. The ending '-bar' means 'can be ...' and turns verbs into adjectives. 'Brauchbar' therefore literally means 'can be used'.
EXAMPLE
Viele Plastikverpackungen sind wiederverwendbar.
Many plastic packages are reusable.
Use with 'für'
To indicate the purpose or area for which something is useful, 'brauchbar' (usable/useful) is often combined with the preposition 'für' (for) and the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Dieses alte Werkzeug ist für die Reparatur nicht mehr brauchbar.
This old tool is no longer usable for the repair.
Typical collocations
'Brauchbar' (usable/useful) is often used to evaluate the usefulness of information, results, or solutions. Typical combinations are 'ein brauchbarer Vorschlag' (a useful proposal), 'brauchbare Ergebnisse' (usable results), or 'eine brauchbare Lösung' (a workable solution).
EXAMPLE
Die Polizei sucht nach brauchbaren Hinweisen zum Tathergang.
The police are looking for useful information about how the crime happened.
Compare with
brauchbar vs praktisch
practical / virtually
'praktisch' and 'brauchbar' both describe something that can be used well. 'praktisch' often sounds more positive and emphasizes that something is useful, convenient, or well designed for everyday life. 'brauchbar' tends to mean that something is sufficient for a purpose or can be used. It does not have to be especially good or attractive. A backpack can be 'praktisch' because it has many compartments. An old chair can still be 'brauchbar' if you can sit on it.
brauchbar
Der alte Drucker ist nicht schnell, aber für kurze Texte noch brauchbar.
The old printer is not fast, but it is still usable for short texts.
praktisch
Diese kleine Tasche ist praktisch, weil mein Handy und meine Schlüssel hineinpassen.
This small bag is practical because my phone and keys fit inside.
In real life
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