A person who is in charge in a company or organization and gives instructions to others. It is a colloquial expression for a supervisor or manager.
example
Mein Boss will, dass das Projekt bis Freitag fertig ist.
My boss wants the project to be finished by Friday.
Usage tips
Colloquial style
The word 'Boss' (boss) for a supervisor is very common, but it is considered colloquial. It comes from English and is often used in everyday, informal conversations at work.
EXAMPLE
Ich muss meinen Boss fragen, ob ich morgen früher gehen kann.
I have to ask my boss whether I can leave earlier tomorrow.
Context clues
To understand the meaning of 'Boss' (boss), context is crucial. Words like 'Firma' (company) or 'Projekt' (project) point to a supervisor. Terms like 'Bande' (gang) or 'Polizei' (police) indicate a criminal leader, while 'Level' (level) or 'Spiel' (game) refer to an opponent in a video game.
EXAMPLE
Der Boss der Organisation wurde endlich verhaftet.
The boss of the organization was finally arrested.
Fixed expression
The expression 'der Boss sein' (to be the boss) or 'der Boss im Haus sein' (to be the boss in the house) means that someone is in control or makes the decisions. It can be used both in professional and private settings.
EXAMPLE
In dieser Abteilung ist ganz klar sie der Boss.
In this department, she is very clearly the boss.
Compare with
synonym · confusable
Boss vs Chef
boss
'der Chef' and 'der Boss' can both mean the person who is in charge in a company or group. 'Chef' is very normal in German and fits well in many work situations. 'Boss' is more colloquial and often sounds more casual, sometimes also a bit stronger or more direct. The words can easily be confused because they often refer to the same person. In formal situations, for example in emails or conversations with customers, 'Chef' usually sounds more natural than 'Boss'.
Boss
Im Team sagt Max oft scherzhaft, dass Lisa hier der Boss ist.
On the team, Max often jokingly says that Lisa is the boss here.
Chef
Meine Schwester ruft ihren Chef an, weil sie später zur Arbeit kommt.
My sister calls her boss because she is coming to work later.