Lesenswerte

Lesenswerte is a German adjective used to indicate that something is worth reading. It is formed from lesen (to read) and wert (worth) and is parallel to other value-based compounds such as sehenswert (worth seeing). The base form is lesenswert; the inflected form lesenswerte appears in feminine singular contexts (eine lesenswerte Geschichte) and in plural contexts (lesenswerte Bücher).

In everyday usage, lesenswert is commonly employed in literary criticism, book reviews, journalism, and online recommendations to signal content that merits readers’ attention beyond a casual skim. It suggests quality or interest that makes reading worthwhile, though it does not automatically equate to an explicit endorsement or "must-read" status; this depends on the author's broader assessment.

Grammatical notes: as an attributive adjective, lesenswert takes endings according to the surrounding article and gender. Examples include: ein lesenswertes Buch (neuter singular), eine lesenswerte Geschichte (feminine singular), die lesenswerten Artikel (plural). In some contexts, speakers may also use the noun form das Lesenswert(e) or das Lesenswerte to refer to noteworthy reading material, though this usage is less common and more context-dependent.

Relation to other terms: lesenswert is closely related to empfehlenswert (recommended) but emphasizes the intrinsic merit of the reading material, whereas empfehlenswert can imply a stronger outward endorsement. Synonyms and near-synonyms include lesenswerter, lesenswerte, and, in certain contexts, lesenswertes, depending on gender and number.

See also: Sehenswert, Empfehlenswert, Literaturkritik.