taugen

Definition & meaning

The verb taugen is primarily used to describe suitability, usefulness, or quality. It is almost always used in combination with the preposition zu (to) or the adverb nichts (nothing).

1. To be suitable or useful for something: Used when someone or something has the necessary qualities to perform a specific task or fulfill a specific role. For example, saying "Er taugt zum Lehrer" means "He is suited to be a teacher."
2. To be of good quality: Often used in the negative form "zu nichts taugen" (to be good for nothing) to indicate that something is useless, worthless, or of poor quality.

Grammar & Word origin

Grammar:

• taugen is a regular, intransitive verb.
• It requires the dative case when used with the preposition "zu" (e.g., "Das taugt zu nichts").
• Common construction: zu etwas (Dative) taugen.

Word origin:

• The word originates from the Middle High German tugen, which means "to be of value" or "to be fit." It is related to the Old High German tugan and shares roots with the German noun Tugend ↗ (virtue).

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms:

• nützen ↗: to be of use.
• geeignet sein [?](vocabuo://word/geeignet sein): to be suitable.
• brauchbar sein [?](vocabuo://word/brauchbar sein): to be usable.
• tauglich sein [?](vocabuo://word/tauglich sein): to be fit/capable.

Antonyms:

• nutzlos sein [?](vocabuo://word/nutzlos sein): to be useless.
• untauglich sein [?](vocabuo://word/untauglich sein): to be unsuitable.