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 geeignet
suitable
Geeignet emphasizes that something is a good fit for its intended purpose. Brauchbar assesses more pragmatically whether it can be used for that purpose and can also express only adequate quality. Use geeignet for a positive fit with a purpose, and brauchbar for a solution that is merely sufficient.
brauchbar
Das alte Messer ist trotz kleiner Schäden noch zum Schneiden des Brotes brauchbar.
Despite minor damage, the old knife is still usable for cutting the bread.
geeignet
Das scharfe Messer ist zum Schneiden des Brotes gut geeignet.
The sharp knife is well suited for cutting the bread.
In real life
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