brauchen vs bedürfen
German word comparison
Listen to brauchen
Listen to bedürfen
| brauchen | bedürfen |
|---|---|
BRAU-chen verb | /bəˈdʏʁfən/ verb |
| to need; to require | to need; to be in need of (formal, often with genitive) |
How they differ
Bedürfen is more formal and somewhat bookish; grammatically it usually takes the genitive (or special constructions) and often appears in legal, literary or formal contexts. It can convey a slightly more distanced or official tone than brauchen.
When to use each
When to use brauchen: Use brauchen for natural, colloquial expressions of need in everyday conversation.
When to use bedürfen: Use bedürfen in formal writing or speech, or in constructions where the genitive or a more formal tone is appropriate (e.g., legal texts, reports).
Side-by-side examples
- Wir brauchen Unterstützung.
(We need support.) - Wir bedürfen der Unterstützung.
(We are in need of support.)
Register & nuance: Bedürfen is formal, somewhat literary/legal, and less common in spoken casual German; it often requires genitive structures.