supervisor / guard
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supervisor
A person whose job is to supervise a place, an activity, or a group of people in order to maintain order and ensure that rules are followed.
Der Aufseher im Museum achtete darauf, dass niemand die Kunstwerke berührte.
The supervisor in the museum made sure that no one touched the artworks.
The word is made up of the verb 'aufsehen' (to look up) and the ending '-er'. An 'Aufseher' (supervisor/guard) is literally a person who 'looks' 'over' something or someone, meaning supervises or monitors them.
Der Aufseher der Baustelle kontrolliert die Sicherheitsvorschriften.
The construction site supervisor checks the safety regulations.
You can always tell what kind of 'Aufseher' (supervisor/guard) is meant from the context. Words like 'Museum' (museum), 'Park' (park), or 'Prüfung' (exam) point to a general supervisory role. The word 'Gefängnis' (prison) clearly refers to a correctional officer.
Im Schwimmbad sorgt ein Aufseher für die Sicherheit am Beckenrand.
At the swimming pool, a supervisor ensures safety at the poolside.
To describe the role more precisely, 'Aufseher' (supervisor) is often combined with the place or area being supervised. Examples are 'Museumsaufseher' (museum attendant), 'Bauaufseher' (construction supervisor), or 'Saalaufseher' (hall attendant).
Der Bauaufseher hat die Arbeiten wegen Sicherheitsmängeln gestoppt.
The construction supervisor stopped the work because of safety deficiencies.
supervision / authority
'Aufsicht' and 'Aufseher' are closely related, but they do not refer to the same thing. 'Aufsicht' means the activity or task of supervising. It can also refer to the responsible authority or group of people. 'Aufseher', on the other hand, is an individual person who has this task. The word can be used generally for someone who checks that order is maintained, and especially for a person in a prison. The words can be confused because both have to do with control and rules. Memory aid: 'Aufsicht' is the task or function, while 'Aufseher' is the person.
Der Aufseher kontrollierte, ob alle Besucher den Sicherheitsbereich verlassen hatten.
The supervisor checked whether all visitors had left the security area.
Die Lehrerin hatte in der großen Pause Aufsicht.
The teacher was on supervision duty during the long break.