to act
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to act
To take action, become active, or proceed in a certain way. It often describes the manner in which a person, group, or organization acts in a situation.
Die Regierung muss in dieser Krise entschlossen agieren.
The government must act decisively in this crisis.
to act
As an actor, to play or portray a role on a stage or in a film.
Sie agierte in der Rolle der Königin sehr überzeugend.
She acted very convincingly in the role of the queen.
to act as
To hold and perform a specific function, role, or position.
In diesem Projekt agiert er als unser Hauptansprechpartner.
In this project, he acts as our main point of contact.
The verb 'agieren' (to act) belongs more to formal written language or elevated colloquial speech. It is often used in news, political discussions, or business contexts.
Das Unternehmen agiert weltweit und hat Niederlassungen in über 20 Ländern.
The company operates worldwide and has branches in over 20 countries.
'Agieren' (to act) comes from the Latin word 'agere' (to act, to do). You can recognize its relationship to words like 'Aktion' (action), 'aktiv' (active), or 'reagieren' (to react), all of which have to do with actions.
Anstatt nur zu reden, müssen wir jetzt aktiv werden und agieren.
Instead of just talking, we now have to become active and act.
In the meaning 'to act', 'agieren' often describes the manner of an action. Therefore, it is very frequently combined with an adverb that describes this behavior more precisely.
In der Verhandlung agierte sie sehr klug und diplomatisch.
In the negotiation, she acted very cleverly and diplomatically.
When someone has a specific role or function, the fixed structure 'agieren als' + nominative is used. The subject of the sentence is the person or group that performs the function.
Frau Dr. Meier agiert als Leiterin des Forschungsteams.
Dr. Meier acts as head of the research team.
The meaning 'to play a role' is easy to recognize from context. Words like 'Bühne' (stage), 'Film' (film), 'Theater' (theater), or 'Rolle' (role) make it clear that it is about acting.
Der junge Schauspieler agierte auf der Bühne mit großer Leidenschaft.
The young actor acted on stage with great passion.
to play
Both words can refer to an acting performance. „Spielen“ combines directly with the role and says which character someone portrays. „Agieren“ focuses more on the acting or the way the role is performed. Use „spielen“ for the role and „agieren“ for the character’s behavior on stage or in a film.
Lena agiert in der Rolle ruhig und überzeugend.
Lena acts calmly and convincingly in the role.
Lena spielt in dem Film eine mutige Ärztin.
Lena plays a brave doctor in the film.
