bedürftig

Bedürftig is an adjective in the German language describing someone or something that is in need of help or lacking essential resources. It is commonly used for people who do not have sufficient financial means or social support, but it can also refer to situations that require care or intervention. The term is neutral in tone and is frequently encountered in social-policy contexts to indicate neediness without implying fault.

Etymology: Bedürftig derives from the verb bedürfen, meaning to require, together with the adjectival suffix -ig. It is related to the noun Bedürfnis (need).

Usage: In everyday language one says eine bedürftige Person or eine bedürftige Familie. The phrase can also appear in compounds such as hilfebedürftig (in need of help). The term is generally less stigmatizing than words like arm, but it still signals vulnerability or dependence in many contexts, especially when describing welfare or care needs.

Synonyms and related terms: hilfebedürftig, notleidend; related concept is Bedürftigkeit (state of being needy). Antonyms include wohlhabend, unabhängig, selbstständig. See also: Bedürfnis, bedürfen.