der Chauffeur
chauffeur
A professional driver who drives a person or group in a private or company-owned vehicle.
EXAMPLE
Der Minister ließ sich von seinem Chauffeur zum Termin fahren.
The minister had his chauffeur drive him to the appointment.
der Chauffeur
chauffeur
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Meanings
Usage tips
French origin
The word 'Chauffeur' (chauffeur) comes from French. This explains the spelling, which is unusual for German, and the pronunciation, where the 'Ch' sounds like 'sch' and the ending '-eur' sounds like 'ör'.
EXAMPLE
Der Hotelgast bat darum, einen Chauffeur für die Fahrt zum Flughafen zu bestellen.
The hotel guest asked to order a chauffeur for the trip to the airport.
Typical usage
A very common construction is 'sich von seinem Chauffeur fahren lassen' (to have oneself driven by one's chauffeur). This emphasizes that another person takes over the driving.
EXAMPLE
Die Chefin lässt sich jeden Morgen von ihrem Chauffeur zur Arbeit fahren.
The boss has her chauffeur drive her to work every morning.
Register and style
The word 'Chauffeur' (chauffeur) is used for professional drivers in private or business contexts and has an elegant, elevated connotation. It often implies a certain status of the person being driven.
EXAMPLE
Für die Hochzeit engagierte das Paar einen Oldtimer mit Chauffeur.
For the wedding, the couple hired a vintage car with a chauffeur.
Compare with
Chauffeur vs Fahrer
driver
Both words can refer to a person who drives someone else in a car. „Fahrer“ is the general term for the person at the wheel, while „Chauffeur“ typically refers to a professional or personal driving service. Use „Chauffeur“ when this particular driving role is important.
Chauffeur
Der Chauffeur bringt die Direktorin heute im Firmenwagen zum Bahnhof.
The chauffeur is taking the director to the train station in the company car today.
Fahrer
Der Fahrer bringt die Direktorin heute zum Bahnhof.
The driver is taking the director to the train station today.
In real life
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