frugal / economical / sparing
Loading your saved state.
frugal
Using little money, time, or other resources and handling them economically.
Durch ihre sparsame Lebensweise konnte sie sich ein kleines Vermögen aufbauen.
Through her frugal lifestyle, she was able to build up a small fortune.
economical
Describing a device or vehicle that requires only a small amount of energy or fuel.
Mein neues Auto ist im Verbrauch sehr sparsam.
My new car is very economical in terms of fuel consumption.
sparing
Reserved or to a small degree; using or giving something only in small amounts.
Er war bekannt dafür, sehr sparsam mit Komplimenten zu sein.
He was known for being very sparing with compliments.
The adjective 'sparsam' (frugal/economical/sparing) is closely related to the verb 'sparen' (to save). If a person is 'sparsam' (frugal), it means they often and deliberately save money or resources.
Er ist sehr sparsam und legt jeden Monat Geld zurück.
He is very frugal and puts money aside every month.
'Sparsam' (frugal/economical/sparing) is very often used with the preposition 'mit' (with) and the dative. This construction describes what the saving refers to.
Sie ist sehr sparsam mit ihrem Geld.
She is very frugal with her money.
You can tell whether 'sparsam' (frugal/economical) describes a person or a device from the noun. If it refers to a person, it is about money or lifestyle. If it refers to a device, it is about energy or fuel consumption.
Ein sparsamer Mensch kauft nicht viele unnötige Dinge.
A frugal person does not buy many unnecessary things.
In its figurative meaning, 'sparsam' (sparing) is almost always used with abstract nouns and the preposition 'mit' (with). Typical examples are 'sparsam mit Lob' (sparing with praise), 'sparsam mit Worten' (sparing with words), or 'sparsam mit Kritik' (sparing with criticism).
Mein Chef ist leider sehr sparsam mit Lob.
Unfortunately, my boss is very sparing with praise.
sparse / scanty
Sparsam and spärlich both describe a small amount. Sparsam emphasizes that someone consciously uses or gives little, while spärlich mainly states that little is present, making something seem sparse or not abundant. Use sparsam for a deliberate reduction and spärlich for a scant result.
Mia dekorierte den Tisch sparsam und verwendete nur wenige Blumen.
Mia decorated the table sparingly and used only a few flowers.
Auf dem Tisch standen nur wenige, spärlich verteilte Blumen.
Only a few flowers stood on the table, sparsely distributed.
