rar
rare
Rare, not occurring often, or hard to find.
EXAMPLE
Solche gut erhaltenen Münzen aus der Römerzeit sind extrem rar.
Such well-preserved coins from the Roman period are extremely rare.
rar
rare
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Meanings
sich rar machen
to make oneself scarce
To deliberately be seen only rarely and avoid contact with others.
EXAMPLE
Seit er befördert wurde, macht er sich bei seinen alten Freunden ziemlich rar.
Since he was promoted, he has been making himself pretty scarce around his old friends.
Usage tips
Register and style
The word 'rar' (rare) is often used for especially valuable, sought-after, or unique things. It sounds somewhat more elegant or elevated.
EXAMPLE
Eine solche Begabung ist wirklich rar.
Such a talent is truly rare.
Typical collocations
'Rar' (rare) is frequently used with nouns such as 'Exemplare' (specimens/copies), 'Fähigkeiten' (abilities), 'Güter' (goods), or 'Talente' (talents) to emphasize their rarity.
EXAMPLE
Das Museum besitzt einige sehr rare Exemplare alter Handschriften.
The museum owns some very rare specimens of old manuscripts.
Fixed expression
The phrase 'sich rar machen' (to make oneself scarce) means that someone deliberately shows up only rarely and avoids contact. It is a reflexive construction in which the reflexive pronoun is adjusted to the person.
EXAMPLE
Du machst dich in letzter Zeit ganz schön rar, ich habe dich ewig nicht gesehen!
You've been making yourself pretty scarce lately; I haven't seen you in ages!
Compare with
rar vs selten
rare / seldom
Selten and rar can both express that something does not occur often. Selten is more neutral, while rar often emphasizes limited availability or the difficulty of finding something. Use selten for frequency alone, and often rar for scarcity or when something is difficult to find.
rar
Dieses alte Buch ist auf dem Markt rar und nur schwer zu finden.
This old book is rare on the market and difficult to find.
selten
Dieses alte Buch ist in öffentlichen Bibliotheken nur selten vorhanden.
This old book is found only rarely in public libraries.
In real life
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