public employee / servant
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public employee
A person employed in the public service; a civil servant or employee of a government office. The term is considered formal or slightly old-fashioned today.
Ein Bediensteter der Stadtverwaltung half uns beim Ausfüllen des Antrags.
A public employee from the city administration helped us fill out the application.
servant
A person who works as a servant or domestic employee in a private household. This meaning is historical or outdated today.
In dem alten Schloss kümmerte sich eine Schar von Bediensteten um die gräfliche Familie.
In the old castle, a group of servants looked after the count's family.
'Der Bedienstete' (the public employee/servant) is a substantivized participle and is declined like an adjective. It is derived from the verb 'bedienen' (to serve, to wait on).
Ich habe mit einem Bediensteten des Finanzamtes gesprochen.
I spoke with an employee of the tax office.
The word 'Bediensteter' (public employee/servant) is considered outdated or very formal today. In everyday language, specific job titles such as 'Mitarbeiter der Stadt' (city employee) or 'Angestellter' (employee) are used instead.
In dem historischen Roman trat ein Bediensteter an die Tür.
In the historical novel, a servant came to the door.
The word belongs to the word family around 'dienen' (to serve). Related words are 'der Dienst' (work, service) and the verb 'bedienen' (to serve, to attend to someone).
Sein ganzes Leben stand im Dienst der Öffentlichkeit.
His whole life was in the service of the public.
employee
Both words can refer to an employed person in a public authority. Mitarbeiter is the neutral modern term, while Bediensteter is institutional and formal and sounds somewhat old-fashioned today. Mitarbeiter is appropriate in an ordinary notice; Bediensteter is more suitable for a formal or older style of language.
Der Bedienstete der Behörde beantwortete meine Frage freundlich.
The public employee at the public authority answered my question politely.
Die Mitarbeiterin der Behörde beantwortete meine Frage freundlich.
The female employee at the public authority answered my question politely.
