deficient / inadequate
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deficient
Not meeting the expected or required standards; faulty, incomplete, or of poor quality.
Die Verarbeitung des Geräts war mangelhaft, deshalb habe ich es zurückgeschickt.
The workmanship of the device was deficient, so I sent it back.
The adjective is derived from the noun 'der Mangel' (lack or defect) and the ending '-haft'. Something that is 'mangelhaft' (deficient) therefore has a defect or flaw.
Aufgrund mangelhafter Beweise wurde der Angeklagte freigesprochen.
Due to insufficient evidence, the defendant was acquitted.
In the context of school, grades, or report cards, 'mangelhaft' (insufficient) is a fixed term. It refers to the school grade 5 and means that the performance was not sufficient.
Er hat in der letzten Prüfung leider nur ein „mangelhaft“ bekommen.
Unfortunately, he only got an "insufficient" on the last exam.
In its general meaning, 'mangelhaft' (deficient) often describes the quality of products, services, or knowledge. Typical combinations are 'mangelhafte Ware' (defective goods), 'mangelhafte Hygiene' (poor hygiene), or 'mangelhafte Sprachkenntnisse' (insufficient language skills).
Die mangelhafte Organisation führte zu großen Verzögerungen.
The deficient organization led to major delays.
five
'fünf' and 'mangelhaft' refer to the same grade in the German school system. 'fünf' is the number or the short way of naming the grade; 'mangelhaft' is the official name of this grade. Both mean that the performance is not sufficient. They can be confused because teachers often say both: 'eine Fünf' (a five) or 'mangelhaft'. Outside of grades, however, 'mangelhaft' is an adjective for poor or faulty quality, while 'fünf' is normally simply the number 5.
Die Lehrerin bewertet den Aufsatz mit mangelhaft.
The teacher grades the essay as insufficient.
Tom hat in der Mathearbeit eine Fünf bekommen.
Tom got a five on the math test.