German Phrase
Brauchst du was für die Körperpflege?
Meaning
Literally: ‘Do you need something for personal care?’ It is an informal way to ask whether someone needs toiletries, shampoo, soap, a razor, etc. The use of ‘was’ makes the question sound friendly and conversational.
When to use
Use this sentence in casual settings – e.g., when you’re at a friend’s house, in a shared apartment, or while shopping together. It is not appropriate for formal contexts such as a business meeting or a written request to a hotel reception.
✦Grammar Breakdown
BrauchstduwasfürdieKörperpflege?
Verb conjugation – brauchen
‘Brauchst’ is the 2nd‑person singular present tense of ‘brauchen’ (to need). The stem is ‘brauch‑’ and the ending ‘‑st’ marks ‘du’.
Subject pronoun – du
In German the subject pronoun is usually placed after the verb in questions (Verb‑Subject order).
Colloquial indefinite pronoun – was
‘was’ is the spoken short form of ‘etwas’ (something). It is common in informal conversation but should be avoided in formal writing.
Preposition für + accusative
‘für’ always governs the accusative case. Here ‘die Körperpflege’ is accusative, identical to the nominative feminine article ‘die’.
Noun – Körperpflege
‘Körperpflege’ is a feminine compound noun (die Körperpflege) meaning personal care or hygiene.
🗨In Conversation
Brauchst du was für die Körperpflege?
Do you need anything for personal care?
Ja, ich könnte noch ein neues Duschgel gebrauchen.
Yes, I could use a new shower gel.
✕Common Mistakes
Bist du was für die Körperpflege?
‘Bist du was’ mixes the verb ‘sein’ (to be) with the indefinite pronoun, which is incorrect. Use ‘brauchst du’ for ‘do you need’.
Brauchst du was für der Körperpflege?
‘für’ always takes the accusative; some learners mistakenly use dative ‘der Körperpflege’. Keep the article ‘die’.
Brauchst du was für die Körperpflege?
In formal writing ‘was’ is considered slang; replace it with ‘etwas’.
↔Alternatives
Brauchst du etwas für die Körperpflege?
Do you need something for personal care?
Fehlt dir etwas für die Körperpflege?
Are you missing anything for personal care?
Hast du alles für die Körperpflege?
Do you have everything for personal care?
Cultural Tip
Germans place a high value on personal hygiene, and it’s common to ask a house‑mate or a friend if they need toiletries before a trip or a stay. The colloquial ‘was’ is typical in northern Germany and among younger speakers; in southern regions you’ll hear ‘etwas’ more often. When speaking to strangers or in a professional setting, replace ‘was’ with ‘etwas’ to keep the tone polite.