freelance
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freelance
Relating to self-employed work in which you are not permanently employed by one employer, but instead take on assignments from different clients or companies.
Nach mehreren Jahren in der Agentur arbeitet sie jetzt freiberuflich als Grafikerin.
After several years at the agency, she now works freelance as a graphic designer.
The word combines 'frei' (free) and 'beruflich' (professional/related to one's occupation). It describes a professional activity that is 'free' from a fixed employment contract.
Als freiberuflicher Programmierer kann er von überall auf der Welt arbeiten.
As a freelance programmer, he can work from anywhere in the world.
'Freiberuflich' (freelance) can stand as an adverb after a verb, as a predicative adjective with 'sein' (to be), or as an attributive adjective before a noun.
Er arbeitet seit fünf Jahren freiberuflich.
He has been working freelance for five years.
The term is often used for professions in the fields of creativity, consulting, or media. Typical examples are 'freiberuflicher Journalist' (freelance journalist), 'freiberufliche Grafikerin' (freelance graphic designer), or 'freiberuflicher Übersetzer' (freelance translator).
Viele Journalisten arbeiten heute freiberuflich für verschiedene Zeitungen.
Many journalists today work freelance for different newspapers.
self-employed / independent
'selbstständig' and 'freiberuflich' can both describe someone who is not permanently employed. 'selbstständig' is the more general term: a person works on their own account and carries the responsibility themselves. 'freiberuflich' is more specific and fits especially when someone accepts assignments from different clients, for example as a designer, translator, or journalist. You can work 'freiberuflich' and therefore also be 'selbstständig'. But not every self-employed person works freelance. The words are easy to confuse because they sound similar in the context of working life.
Mehmet arbeitet freiberuflich für mehrere Firmen und schreibt Texte.
Mehmet works freelance for several companies and writes texts.
Nach zehn Jahren im Büro hat sie sich selbstständig gemacht.
After ten years in the office, she became self-employed.