die Brotkrume
bread crumb
A small piece of bread that crumbles off when it is cut or eaten.
EXAMPLE
Auf dem Tisch lagen überall Brotkrumen.
There were bread crumbs scattered all over the table.
die Brotkrume
bread crumb
die Brotkrume, die Brotkrumen
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Meanings
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Brotkrume, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | feminine die |
|---|---|
| plural | die Brotkrumen |
| genitive | der Brotkrume |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | die Brotkrume | die Brotkrumen |
| accusative | die Brotkrume | die Brotkrumen |
| dative | der Brotkrume | den Brotkrumen |
| genitive | der Brotkrume | der Brotkrumen |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Compound word
'Brotkrume' (bread crumb) is made up of 'Brot' (bread) and 'Krume' (crumb). 'Krume' refers to the soft inside of a baked loaf and also to a small piece that has crumbled off it.
EXAMPLE
Beim Aufschneiden des Brotes klebten einige Brotkrumen am Messer.
When I sliced the bread, some bread crumbs stuck to the knife.
Typical collocations
'Brotkrume' (bread crumb) often occurs with activities and places where small remnants are left: 'Brotkrumen vom Tisch wischen' (to wipe bread crumbs off the table), 'Brotkrumen auf dem Boden finden' (to find bread crumbs on the floor), or 'Brotkrumen entfernen' (to remove bread crumbs).
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Frühstück musste ich die Brotkrumen vom Tisch wischen.
After breakfast, I had to wipe the bread crumbs off the table.
Fairy-tale motif
The phrase 'Brotkrumen streuen' (to scatter bread crumbs) is also known from the fairy tale 'Hänsel und Gretel' ('Hansel and Gretel'): the characters use them to mark their path so they can find their way back.
EXAMPLE
Im Märchen streuen die Kinder Brotkrumen, um den Weg durch den Wald wiederzufinden.
In the fairy tale, the children scatter bread crumbs so they can find their way back through the forest.
In real life
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