das Bruchstück
shard / fragment
A piece left over from a broken object.
EXAMPLE
Auf dem Boden lag ein scharfes Bruchstück der Vase.
A sharp shard from the vase lay on the floor.
das Bruchstück
fragment
das Bruchstück, die Bruchstücke
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Meanings
das Bruchstück
fragment
An incomplete part of a whole, such as a text, piece of information, or memory.
EXAMPLE
Die Forscher konnten nur ein Bruchstück des alten Textes entziffern.
The researchers were only able to decipher a fragment of the old text.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Bruchstück, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | neuter das |
|---|---|
| plural | die Bruchstücke |
| genitive | des Bruchstückes |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | das Bruchstück | die Bruchstücke |
| accusative | das Bruchstück | die Bruchstücke |
| dative | dem Bruchstück | den Bruchstücken |
| genitive | des Bruchstückes des Bruchstücks | der Bruchstücke |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Compound word
'Bruchstück' (fragment) is made up of 'Bruch' (breakage) and 'Stück' (piece). The element 'Bruch' shows that the piece was created by breaking or by interrupting a whole.
EXAMPLE
Das Bruchstück gehört vermutlich zu einer alten Schale.
The fragment probably belongs to an old bowl.
Typical collocations
In its concrete meaning, 'Bruchstück' (shard / fragment) often appears with words related to breaking and finding, such as 'scharfes Bruchstück' (sharp shard), 'Bruchstücke finden' (to find fragments), or 'Bruchstücke einer Vase' (fragments of a vase).
EXAMPLE
Im Sand fanden die Kinder mehrere Bruchstücke einer Flasche.
The children found several fragments of a bottle in the sand.
Figurative use
When referring to texts, information, and memories, 'Bruchstück' (fragment) often describes something that is only partly present or accessible. Words such as 'Text' (text), 'Information' (information), 'Erinnerung' (memory), or 'Biografie' (biography) point to this meaning.
EXAMPLE
Aus den Bruchstücken seiner Erinnerung entstand langsam ein klares Bild der Ereignisse.
A clear picture of the events slowly emerged from the fragments of his memory.
In real life
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