capable / thoroughly
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capable
Describes a person who does their work well, competently, diligently, and with great effort.
Sie hat sich als eine sehr tüchtige und zuverlässige Mitarbeiterin erwiesen.
She has proven to be a very capable and reliable employee.
thoroughly
Used colloquially as an adverb for emphasis, meaning 'vigorously', 'properly', or 'a great deal'.
Nach der langen Wanderung haben wir erst mal tüchtig gegessen und getrunken.
After the long hike, we first ate and drank thoroughly.
The function in the sentence determines the meaning. If 'tüchtig' comes before a noun, it describes a person as hardworking and competent. If it appears with a verb, it intensifies the action and means 'a lot' or 'vigorously'.
Er ist ein tüchtiger Gärtner, sein Garten sieht immer perfekt aus.
He is a capable gardener; his garden always looks perfect.
'Tüchtig' is related to the verb 'taugen', which means 'to be good or suitable for something'. A 'tüchtige' (capable) person is therefore someone who is well suited for a task and performs it well.
Diese Säge taugt nichts, sie ist ganz stumpf.
This saw is no good; it is completely blunt.
In the meaning 'hardworking', 'tüchtig' often describes people in their job or while doing an activity. Typical combinations are 'ein tüchtiger Handwerker' (a capable craftsman), 'eine tüchtige Schülerin' (a capable/hardworking schoolgirl), or 'tüchtige Angestellte' (capable employees).
Wir suchen eine tüchtige Aushilfe für unser Café.
We are looking for a capable temporary worker for our café.
The use of 'tüchtig' as an adverb for emphasis is especially common in colloquial language. You often hear it in informal conversations.
Auf der Party wurde bis in die Nacht tüchtig gefeiert.
At the party, people celebrated enthusiastically late into the night.
neat / proper
“Ordentlich” and “tüchtig” can express a large quantity or strong intensity in colloquial speech. As an intensifier of quantity, “tüchtig” often sounds stronger, while “ordentlich” is more common and somewhat more general. “Tüchtig” works well for a strong, emphatic statement; for normal emphasis, “ordentlich” is usually more natural.
Bei der Gartenarbeit habe ich tüchtig geschwitzt.
I worked up a thorough sweat doing the gardening.
Bei der Gartenarbeit habe ich ordentlich geschwitzt.
I worked up quite a sweat doing the gardening.
