fraction
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fraction
A very small part or tiny amount of a whole. Often used to express that something happens very quickly or that something is very little.
Das Auto raste in einem Bruchteil einer Sekunde an uns vorbei.
The car raced past us in a fraction of a second.
The word 'Bruchteil' (fraction) is made up of 'Bruch' (part, fragment/fraction) and 'Teil' (part). So it literally means a part of a fraction and emphasizes that it is a very small amount.
Die Reparatur kostete nur einen Bruchteil des Neupreises.
The repair cost only a fraction of the price of a new one.
'Bruchteil' (fraction) is very often used with a noun in the genitive or with the preposition 'von' (of/from) to say what it is a small part of. The most common fixed expression is 'in einem Bruchteil einer Sekunde' (in a fraction of a second).
Der Unfall passierte in einem Bruchteil einer Sekunde.
The accident happened in a fraction of a second.
Although 'Bruchteil' can refer to a mathematical fraction, the shorter word 'Bruch' is usually used in technical terminology. 'Bruchteil' emphasizes more the aspect of 'kleiner Teil eines Ganzen' (small part of a whole).
Ein Viertel ist ein Bruchteil des Ganzen.
A quarter is a fraction of the whole.
part
'der Teil' and 'der Bruchteil' both refer to something that belongs to a larger whole. 'Teil' is the normal, general word for a piece or section. A 'Teil' can be large or small. 'Bruchteil' usually means a very small part or, in mathematics, a part that can be expressed as a fraction. Learners may confuse the words because both mean 'not the whole'. In practice: for ordinary pieces, you say 'Teil'; for a very small amount or a mathematical proportion, 'Bruchteil' fits better.
Die Reparatur kostet nur einen Bruchteil von dem, was ein neues Gerät kosten würde.
The repair costs only a fraction of what a new device would cost.
Für die Prüfung wiederhole ich heute nur den ersten Teil des Buches.
For the exam, I am reviewing only the first part of the book today.