commander
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commander
A military rank, especially in the navy or air force, above lieutenant and below captain. Also used in space travel for the commander of a mission.
Der Commander gab den Befehl zum Start der Mission.
The commander gave the order to launch the mission.
'Commander' is a word that was taken directly from English (an Anglicism). It is also used in German with the English pronunciation.
Der Commander ist für die gesamte Crew verantwortlich.
The commander is responsible for the entire crew.
In its main meaning, 'Commander' is used almost exclusively in specific contexts such as the military (especially the navy and air force) or space travel. It is not a general word for a leader.
Der Commander der Raumstation führte das Experiment durch.
The commander of the space station carried out the experiment.
Outside the military, the word 'Commander' is very common in science fiction and fantasy literature, or in films and series. There it often refers to the leader of a group or unit.
In dem Videospiel ist der Spieler der Commander einer Armee.
In the video game, the player is the commander of an army.
leader / conductor
'der Leiter' and 'der Commander' both have to do with leadership. 'der Leiter' is general and fits many normal situations, for example at school, at work, or in clubs. 'der Commander' is much more specific. It fits military ranks, space travel, or special, often fictional organizations. If you simply want to say that someone leads a group or a project, 'Leiter' is more natural. 'Commander' is used when the title or the special context is important.
Der Commander der Mission erklärt der Crew vor dem Start die nächsten Schritte.
The commander of the mission explains the next steps to the crew before launch.
Wir schicken dem Leiter der Schulgruppe heute die Liste mit allen Namen.
We are sending the list with all the names to the leader of the school group today.