frugal
gb/fɹˈuɡəl/ us/fɹˈuɡəl/
B2
Anglais
takarékos, szerény, puritán
B2
1
takarékos
B1
Schéma d’usage :
[someone] is frugal (with money/spending)
He’s frugal and rarely buys brand-name products.
Takarékos, és ritkán vesz márkás termékeket.
After the move, they became more frugal to rebuild their savings.
A költözés után takarékosabban kezdtek élni, hogy újra gyarapítsák a megtakarításaikat.
She’s frugal with her money but still donates regularly.
Exemples pédagogiques
My parents are frugal and save money.
A szüleim takarékosak, és spórolnak.
I try to be frugal when I shop.
Vásárláskor próbálok takarékos lenni.
Erreur fréquente :
“Frugal” is usually positive (careful/practical), not as negative as “stingy.”
Sens
careful with money
Collocations
a frugal person
|a frugal household
|frugal spending
|frugal habits
|a frugal budget
|a frugal approach
|a frugal shopper
|frugal choices
|frugal retirement
|frugal living
Synonymes
thrifty (Very close; often suggests being good at finding value.)
|
economical (Often emphasizes saving money through efficiency.)
Antonymes
extravagant (Spending much more than necessary.)
|
wasteful (Not careful; using money without thinking.)
Thèmes
money
|daily_life
|shopping
Définition
Not spending much money; trying not to waste it.
Careful to spend only what is necessary; avoiding waste or unnecessary expense.
B2
2
Schéma d’usage :
a frugal [lifestyle/meal/home]
They enjoyed a frugal meal of soup and bread.
Egy szerény vacsorát ettek: levest és kenyeret.
His frugal apartment had only the basics: a bed, a table, and a chair.
Szerény lakásában csak a legszükségesebbek voltak: egy ágy, egy asztal és egy szék.
She chose a frugal lifestyle so she could work less and travel more.
Exemples pédagogiques
We ate a frugal dinner at home.
Otthon szerény vacsorát ettünk.
He lives a frugal life.
Szerény életet él.
Erreur fréquente :
“Frugal” does not mean “small” or “thin”; it refers to simplicity and lack of luxury.
Sens
simple, not luxurious
Collocations
a frugal lifestyle
|a frugal meal
|frugal accommodation
|a frugal diet
|frugal fare
|frugal tastes
|a frugal home
|frugal surroundings
Synonymes
modest (Suggests not showing wealth; can also mean not too large.)
|
plain (Emphasizes simplicity and lack of decoration.)
Antonymes
luxurious (Having many comforts and expensive features.)
|
lavish (Very rich, generous, or elaborate.)
Thèmes
daily_life
|food
|home
Définition
Simple and not expensive; without luxury.
Simple and plain, with few comforts or luxuries, especially when describing a lifestyle, home, or meal.
C1
3
takarékos
B1
Schéma d’usage :
frugal with [resource]
The new model is frugal with fuel on long trips.
Az új modell hosszú utakon is üzemanyag-takarékos.
During the drought, everyone had to be frugal with water.
Az aszály idején mindenkinek takarékosan kellett bánnia a vízzel.
Try to be frugal with your time and focus on the most important tasks.
Exemples pédagogiques
Be frugal with water.
Takarékoskodj a vízzel.
This car is frugal with fuel.
Ez az autó üzemanyag-takarékos.
Erreur fréquente :
In this sense, “frugal” can describe resource use (fuel, water), not only money.
Sens
using resources sparingly
Collocations
frugal with water
|frugal with energy
|frugal with fuel
|frugal use of resources
|a frugal design
|frugal innovation
|frugal with materials
|frugal with words
|frugal with time
Synonymes
efficient (Focuses on good results with little waste.)
|
sparing (Emphasizes using only small amounts.)
Antonymes
careless (Not paying attention to waste or limits.)
|
profligate (Using resources recklessly or wastefully.)
Thèmes
environment
|technology
|work
Définition
Using something carefully so you don’t waste it.
Using a limited resource carefully and efficiently so that little is wasted (for example time, water, fuel, or materials).
Grammaire
Forme canonique
frugal
API
GB/fɹˈuɡəl/
US/fɹˈuɡəl/
Syllabes et accentuation
frugal (1 syllabe)
Stress on 1st syllable (frugal)
Formes du mot
Adjective
- Base: frugal
Famille de mots
Core family
frugally
adverb
frugality
noun
Related words
thrifty
adjective
economical
adjective B1
Negative and opposite forms
wasteful
adjective B2
extravagant
adjective B2
Advanced or less common
parsimonious
adjective
parsimony
noun
Expressions
frugal to a fault
1/fɹˈuɡəl tə ə fˈɔlt/
fixed phrase
too frugal, overly careful
Too careful with money, in a bad way.
Exemples
- She’s frugal to a fault and won’t replace anything until it breaks.
- He was frugal to a fault, skipping the doctor even when he was sick.
- My grandfather was frugal to a fault, saving every scrap of string and paper.
Exemples pédagogiques
- He is frugal to a fault.
frugal with [something]
1/fɹˈuɡəl wˈɪθ sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
use something carefully
Use something carefully and not too much.
Exemples
- We’re trying to be frugal with electricity this winter.
- Please be frugal with printer paper.
- He’s frugal with praise, so a compliment from him means a lot.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Be frugal with your time.
- We must be frugal with water.