Bequem
“Bequem” is a German all-round word that has many different meanings in English.
How would you translate “bequem” in the following cases?
- Mein Stuhl ist bequem.
My chair is easygoing / convenient / comfortable.
If you chose “My chair is comfortable,” you are correct!
- Mein Kollege ist en bisschen bequem.
My colleague is a bit lazy / comfortable / convenient.
Here the correct option would be “My colleague is a bit lazy.”
- Bei uns können Sie bequem von zu Hause aus einkaufen.
With us you can shop conveniently / comfortably / lazily from home.
The correct answer here is “With us you can shop conveniently from home.”
- Machen Sie es sich bequem.
Make yourself comfortable / convenient / easy.
The correct phrase here is “Make yourself comfortable.” It is also correct to say, “Make yourself at home.”
And sometimes, a German sentence containing the word “bequem” has to be completely rephrased in order for it to be correct English. For example:
- Die Handhabung ist bequem.= It’s easy to use.
- Es ist nicht sehr bequem für Rollstuhlfahrer in Deutschland.= It’s not very easy for people in wheelchairs to get around in Germany.