captain
Loading your saved state.
captain
The leader of a sports team. Corresponds to the German word 'Kapitän' (captain).
Der Captain der Eishockey-Mannschaft motivierte sein Team vor dem Spiel.
The captain of the ice hockey team motivated his team before the game.
The word 'Captain' is a direct loanword from English. It is mainly used in contexts that are strongly influenced by the English language, such as international sports, aviation, or the US military.
Der Captain der englischen Nationalmannschaft gab ein Interview.
The captain of the English national team gave an interview.
You can tell from the context whether it refers to an athlete, a pilot, or a soldier. Words like 'Mannschaft' (team) point to sports, 'Flugzeug' (airplane) to transportation, and 'Army' or 'Kompanie' (company) to the military.
Der Captain führte seine Mannschaft zum Sieg.
The captain led his team to victory.
In ice hockey, and often in other team sports as well, the captain wears a 'C' on the jersey as a visible sign. This symbol marks the leadership role on the team.
Nur der Spieler mit dem „C“ auf der Brust darf mit dem Schiedsrichter sprechen.
Only the player with the 'C' on his chest is allowed to speak with the referee.
Especially on international airlines, passengers often hear the form of address 'Captain' in announcements. This supports international clarity and sounds modern.
„This is your Captain speaking“, hörte man aus dem Lautsprecher.
'This is your Captain speaking,' could be heard over the loudspeaker.
captain
'der Kapitän' and 'der Captain' can mean the same thing in many situations: the leader of a sports team or the person in command of a ship or airplane. 'Kapitän' is the normal German word. 'Captain' is borrowed from English and often sounds more modern or international, or fits English-influenced sports and films. They can be confused because their meanings are very similar. In neutral German, 'Kapitän' is usually more natural; 'Captain' is used more in special contexts or as an English-sounding title.
Im Team nennen alle ihre Anführerin einfach Captain.
On the team, everyone simply calls their leader Captain.
Nach dem Sieg bedankt sich der Kapitän bei den Fans.
After the victory, the captain thanks the fans.