01
die Kürze
brevity
The quality of being short in duration or length; the conciseness of a presentation or statement.
example
Das Sprichwort sagt: In der Kürze liegt die Würze.
The proverb says: Brevity is the soul of wit.
die Kürze
brevity / shortly
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word formation
'Die Kürze' (brevity/shortness) is a noun derived from the adjective 'kurz' (short). Many German nouns that describe a quality are formed from adjectives in this way, e.g. lang → die Länge (long → length), groß → die Größe (big → size).
EXAMPLE
Die Kürze des Tages im Winter kann deprimierend sein.
The shortness of the day in winter can be depressing.
Fixed expression
There is a well-known German proverb: 'In der Kürze liegt die Würze.' It means that short and concise statements are often better than long explanations.
EXAMPLE
Deine Präsentation war super. In der Kürze liegt die Würze!
Your presentation was great. Brevity is the soul of wit!
Sentence structure
The expression 'in Kürze' (shortly) functions like a time adverb. It can stand at the beginning of the sentence (then the verb follows in position 2) or in the middle of the sentence, usually after the verb.
EXAMPLE
In Kürze werden die Ergebnisse bekannt gegeben.
The results will be announced shortly.
Register
The expression 'in Kürze' (shortly) is often used in official announcements or in written contexts. You often find it on signs, in emails, or in announcements.
EXAMPLE
Sehr geehrte Fahrgäste, unser Zug erreicht in Kürze den Hauptbahnhof.
Dear passengers, our train will shortly arrive at the central station.
Compare with
Kürze vs bald
soon / almost
'bald' and 'in Kürze' both mean that something happens in the near future. 'bald' is very natural in everyday language and fits in almost any conversation. 'in Kürze' is a fixed expression with 'Kürze' and sounds somewhat more formal or planned, for example in announcements, news reports, or written information. In terms of meaning, the difference is small: both say that you do not have to wait long.
Kürze
Wir melden uns in Kürze, sobald der neue Termin feststeht.
We will get back to you shortly as soon as the new appointment is confirmed.
bald
Nach dem Essen kommen unsere Freunde bald vorbei.
After dinner, our friends are coming over soon.
In real life
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