01
sich brüsten mit
to boast about
To boast proudly and often arrogantly about one's own achievement or possession; to show off.
example
Er brüstet sich damit, den größten Fisch gefangen zu haben.
He boasts about having caught the biggest fish.
brüsten
to boast
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word structure
The verb is derived from 'die Brust' (the chest). Figuratively, it describes how someone proudly sticks out their chest to show their superiority.
EXAMPLE
Er brüstete sich vor allen mit seinem neuen, teuren Auto.
He boasted in front of everyone about his new, expensive car.
Sentence structure and usage pattern
This verb is always reflexive and is used with a fixed preposition. The structure is: sich (accusative) brüsten mit etwas (dative).
EXAMPLE
Sie brüstet sich mit ihren guten Noten.
She boasts about her good grades.
Register
The word 'sich brüsten' (to boast) has a negative connotation. It does not just mean being proud, but boasting in an arrogant and showy way.
EXAMPLE
Anstatt sich mit seinem Erfolg zu brüsten, blieb er bescheiden.
Instead of boasting about his success, he remained modest.
Sentence structure with subordinate clause
When the achievement is described in a sentence, the construction 'sich brüsten damit, dass ...' (to boast that ...) is often used.
EXAMPLE
Der Sportler brüstet sich damit, dass er noch nie einen Wettkampf verloren hat.
The athlete boasts that he has never lost a competition.
Compare with
brüsten vs angeben
to state / boast / report
'angeben' and 'sich brüsten mit' both mean that someone talks proudly, and often unpleasantly, about something. 'angeben' is very colloquial and can refer to possessions, appearance, knowledge, or success. 'sich brüsten mit' sounds stronger and somewhat more formal; it is usually used with 'mit' and emphasizes an arrogant attitude. The words can be confused because both describe boasting. In everyday speech, people often say 'angeben'; in more formal or critical texts, 'sich brüsten mit' fits well.
brüsten
Der Politiker brüstete sich mit seinen Erfolgen, obwohl viele Probleme noch ungelöst waren.
The politician boasted about his successes, even though many problems were still unresolved.
angeben
Beim Abendessen hat Paul wieder damit angegeben, wie viel Geld er verdient.
At dinner, Paul was once again boasting about how much money he earns.
In real life
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