to consume / use up
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to consume / use up
To use something up through use, so that afterward it is no longer present or only present in a smaller amount. This often refers to resources such as energy, money, or food.
Dieses Auto verbraucht sehr wenig Benzin.
This car consumes very little gasoline.
'Verbrauchen' (to consume/use up) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'ver-' always stays attached to the stem 'brauchen' (to need/use). It often indicates that something is completely used up or brought to an end.
Ich habe mein ganzes Datenvolumen für diesen Monat schon verbraucht.
I have already used up all my data allowance for this month.
The past participle 'verbraucht' (used up/worn out) is often used as an adjective. It can refer both to things that have been used up and to people who are exhausted.
Die Batterien in der Fernbedienung sind verbraucht.
The batteries in the remote control are used up.
This verb is very often used in connection with resources. Typical combinations are: 'Energie verbrauchen' (to consume energy), 'Strom verbrauchen' (to use electricity), 'Wasser verbrauchen' (to use water), 'Geld verbrauchen' (to use up money), and 'Zeit verbrauchen' (to use up time).
Wir versuchen, im Winter weniger Energie zu verbrauchen.
We are trying to consume less energy in winter.
In the meaning 'sich erschöpfen' (to exhaust oneself), 'verbrauchen' (to use up/wear out) is always used reflexively. It describes a state of emotional or physical fatigue.
Er hat sich in seinem anstrengenden Job völlig verbraucht.
He completely wore himself out in his demanding job.
to need
'brauchen' and 'verbrauchen' can both have to do with resources such as time, money, energy, or material. 'brauchen' only says that something is necessary or that you need a certain amount or time for something. 'verbrauchen' emphasizes that something becomes less or is completely used up through use. So you can say: You need electricity for the heating, but the heating consumes electricity. The words are easy to confuse because both often appear with quantities. The important difference is: 'brauchen' means necessity, while 'verbrauchen' means consumption or use.
Im Winter verbraucht die Familie mehr Gas als im Sommer.
In winter, the family consumes more gas than in summer.
Für die Suppe brauche ich noch zwei Kartoffeln und etwas Salz.
For the soup, I still need two potatoes and some salt.