toothbrush
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toothbrush
A small brush with a handle that is used for cleaning teeth.
Ich muss mir eine neue Zahnbürste kaufen, meine alte ist schon ganz abgenutzt.
I need to buy myself a new toothbrush; my old one is already completely worn out.
The word is built very logically: it consists of 'der Zahn' (the tooth; plural 'die Zähne') and 'die Bürste' (the brush). The 'en' is a linking element that connects the two words.
Vergiss nicht, deine Zahnbürste in den Koffer zu packen.
Don't forget to pack your toothbrush in the suitcase.
The word element 'Zahn-' is very productive and forms many words related to the topic of teeth. If you see 'Zahn-', the word probably has something to do with teeth, as in 'Zahnpasta' (toothpaste), 'Zahnarzt' (dentist), or 'Zahnschmerzen' (toothache).
Beim Zahnarzt habe ich gelernt, wie man die Zähne richtig putzt.
At the dentist, I learned how to brush my teeth properly.
Common adjectives used with 'Zahnbürste' (toothbrush) are 'elektrische Zahnbürste' (electric toothbrush) and 'weiche/harte Zahnbürste' (soft/hard toothbrush). Typical verbs are 'benutzen' (to use), 'verwenden' (to use), or 'wechseln' (to change/replace).
Mein Zahnarzt hat mir eine weiche Zahnbürste empfohlen.
My dentist recommended a soft toothbrush to me.
brush
'die Zahnbürste' and 'die Bürste' both have bristles and are used for cleaning or arranging. The difference is: a Zahnbürste is only for teeth. 'Bürste' is more general and can mean many things, for example a hairbrush, clothes brush, or cleaning brush. Learners may confuse the words because a toothbrush is also a type of brush. In everyday life, however, you say 'Zahnbürste' when talking about brushing your teeth. 'Bürste' by itself would be too imprecise for that.
Vor der Reise kauft Tom eine neue Zahnbürste.
Before the trip, Tom buys a new toothbrush.
Nach dem Spaziergang reinigt Lisa ihre Schuhe mit einer kleinen Bürste.
After the walk, Lisa cleans her shoes with a small brush.