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
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
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 generally refers to conspicuous showing off intended to impress other people. Sich brüsten usually highlights a specific achievement or possession that someone is excessively proud of. Use angeben when you simply mean putting on a show, and sich brüsten when a specific success is named.
brüsten
Nach dem Sieg brüstet Paul sich mit seinem entscheidenden Tor.
After the victory, Paul boasts about the goal that decided the match.
angeben
Nach dem Sieg gibt Paul vor seinen Freunden ständig an.
After the victory, Paul is constantly showing off in front of his friends.
In real life
Loading video examples...