chosen / select
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chosen
Selected for a special task, a special destiny, or a special purpose, often with a positive or almost divine connotation.
Er fühlte sich als der Auserwählte, der das Unternehmen aus der Krise führen sollte.
He felt like the chosen one who was supposed to lead the company out of the crisis.
select
Exclusive; intended only for a small, selected, and privileged group of people.
Nur ein auserwählter Kreis von Gästen war zu der privaten Feier eingeladen.
Only a select circle of guests was invited to the private celebration.
'Auserwählt' (chosen/select) is the past participle of the verb 'auserwählen' (to choose/select). This verb consists of 'aus' (out) and 'erwählen' (to elect/choose) and literally means to choose someone out of a group for something special.
Die Jury muss aus allen Bewerbern den Gewinner auserwählen.
The jury has to choose the winner from all the applicants.
The adjective can be nominalized to refer to the selected person: 'der Auserwählte' (the chosen man / the chosen one) or 'die Auserwählte' (the chosen woman / the chosen one).
In vielen Geschichten gibt es einen Auserwählten, der die Welt retten muss.
In many stories, there is a chosen one who has to save the world.
To describe the purpose or task of the chosen person, an infinitive construction with 'zu' is often used.
Sie fühlte sich auserwählt, ihrem Volk zu helfen.
She felt chosen to help her people.
In this meaning, the word is very often used in the fixed expression 'ein auserwählter Kreis' (a select circle) to describe an exclusive group.
Nur ein auserwählter Kreis hatte Zugang zu den geheimen Informationen.
Only a select circle had access to the secret information.
selected
Ausgewählt neutrally indicates that someone was chosen from a larger group. Auserwählt sounds stronger and often connects the choice with a special task, a destiny, or an almost divine calling. Use ausgewählt for practical decisions and auserwählt for a solemn or fateful role.
In der Legende ist Lea auserwählt, das Land zu retten.
In the legend, Lea is chosen to save the country.
Lea wurde als Vertreterin ihrer Klasse ausgewählt.
Lea was selected as her class representative.
