01
der Besitzer
owner
The person to whom an object, an animal, or a property belongs.
example
Der Besitzer des Restaurants begrüßte die Gäste persönlich.
The owner of the restaurant personally greeted the guests.
der Besitzer
owner
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word family
'Der Besitzer' (the owner) is the person who 'besitzt' (owns) something. Both words belong to the same word family and are derived from the verb 'besitzen' (to own).
EXAMPLE
Er besitzt ein altes Auto, also ist er der Besitzer des Autos.
He owns an old car, so he is the owner of the car.
Genitive or 'von'
To express who something belongs to, after 'Besitzer' (owner) you usually use the genitive or the preposition 'von' with the dative. The genitive is somewhat more formal.
EXAMPLE
Der Besitzer des Hundes wartete im Park.
The owner of the dog was waiting in the park.
Typical collocations
Common expressions are 'den Besitzer wechseln' (to change owners) when something is sold, or the description 'stolzer Besitzer' (proud owner) when someone is very happy about what they own.
EXAMPLE
Das Haus hat vor kurzem den Besitzer gewechselt.
The house recently changed owners.
Compare with
Besitzer vs Eigentümer
owner
'der Besitzer' and 'der Eigentümer' both refer to a person to whom something belongs. In everyday language, people often say 'Besitzer' when someone has a car, an animal, or a house. 'Eigentümer' is more precise and legal: it is about who officially owns something and has the right to dispose of it. Learners may confuse the words because they often refer to the same person. If legal precision is needed, 'Eigentümer' is better; in normal conversation, 'Besitzer' usually sounds more natural.
Besitzer
Der Besitzer des Hundes wartet vor dem Supermarkt.
The owner of the dog is waiting in front of the supermarket.
Eigentümer
Der Eigentümer der Wohnung muss die Reparatur bezahlen.
The owner of the apartment has to pay for the repair.
In real life
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