konkret
specific
Specific, precise, and clearly formulated, as opposed to general or vague.
EXAMPLE
Ich brauche einen konkreten Vorschlag, nicht nur allgemeine Ideen.
I need a specific proposal, not just general ideas.
konkret
specific / concrete
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Meanings
konkret
concrete
Material, tangible, or existing in reality, as opposed to abstract or theoretical.
EXAMPLE
Die abstrakte Idee des Architekten wurde in einem konkreten Gebäude umgesetzt.
The architect's abstract idea was realized in a concrete building.
Usage tips
False friend
'Konkret' means 'specific' or 'tangible/concrete', but not the building material 'concrete'. The German word for the material is 'der Beton' (concrete).
EXAMPLE
Die neue Brücke wird aus Stahl und Beton gebaut.
The new bridge is being built from steel and concrete.
Adverbial use
'Konkret' is very often used as an adverb to make a statement more precise. It then often stands at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the verb.
EXAMPLE
Wir müssen sparen. Konkret heißt das, wir kaufen dieses Jahr kein neues Auto.
We need to save money. Specifically, that means we are not buying a new car this year.
Typical collocations
In the meaning of 'specific', 'konkret' is often combined with nouns related to planning and communication, e.g. 'ein konkreter Plan' (a specific plan), 'ein konkretes Beispiel' (a specific example), or 'eine konkrete Zahl' (a specific figure/number).
EXAMPLE
Können Sie mir ein konkretes Beispiel für dieses Problem nennen?
Can you give me a specific example of this problem?
Fixed expression
The request 'Werde bitte konkret!' (Please be specific!) or the expression 'konkret werden' (to get specific) means that someone should stop speaking generally and instead give exact details.
EXAMPLE
Du redest immer nur von Problemen, aber du wirst nie konkret.
You always talk only about problems, but you never get specific.
Compare with
konkret vs bestimmt
certain / specific
Bestimmt refers to selected individual elements from a larger set. Konkret, by contrast, emphasizes that something is precisely formulated and no longer vague. Bestimmt is suitable when referring to a selection, while konkret is suitable for a clearly worked-out measure.
konkret
Wir planen eine konkrete Maßnahme mit einem Termin und klaren Aufgaben.
We are planning a specific measure with a date and clear tasks.
bestimmt
Wir prüfen nur bestimmte Maßnahmen aus der langen Vorschlagsliste.
We are only reviewing certain measures from the long list of proposals.
In real life
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