The verb “brauchen” in German is one of the most important verbs to learn for a B1 level German learner. It is used to express the need for something or someone in a sentence. In this article, we will explain the use of “brauchen” in German and provide examples of its use with the infinitive form in both German and English.
The basic structure of using “brauchen” with an infinitive verb is: “Ich brauche + zu + Infinitiv.” This translates to “I need + to + infinitive” in English. For example:
“Ich brauche einen Kaffee zu trinken.” (I need to drink a coffee.)
“Wir brauchen eine neue Waschmaschine zu kaufen.” (We need to buy a new washing machine.)
“Er braucht viel Zeit zu überlegen.” (He needs a lot of time to think.)
“Sie braucht mehr Informationen zu verstehen.” (She needs more information to understand.)
“Wir brauchen Geld zu sparen.” (We need to save money.)
“Ich brauche einen Moment zu entspannen.” (I need a moment to relax.)
Note that when “brauchen” is used with an infinitive verb, the infinitive verb always remains in its base form preceded by zu.
In conclusion, the verb “brauchen” is a versatile and important verb to learn for B1 level German learners. Whether you’re expressing a current or past need, or the need for something more generally, the verb “brauchen” is a key tool in expressing yourself in German. With the examples provided in this article, you should now have a good understanding of how to use “brauchen” with the infinitive form in German.