captain
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captain
An officer rank in the military, especially in the army and air force. A Hauptmann typically leads a company and ranks between an Oberleutnant and a Major.
Der Hauptmann gab den Befehl zum Abmarsch.
The captain gave the order to march out.
leader
The leader of a group, often in a historical or literary context. This can refer to soldiers, but also to robbers or another band of people.
Der Räuberhauptmann verteilte die Beute unter seinen Leuten.
The robber captain distributed the loot among his men.
captain
An outdated or regional term for the captain of a sports team.
Als Hauptmann der Mannschaft ging er zur Platzwahl.
As captain of the team, he went to the coin toss.
The word is made up of 'Haupt' (head, leader) and 'Mann' (man). A 'Hauptmann' is therefore literally the 'main man' or leader of a group, which applies to all meanings.
Der Hauptmann der Wache war für die Sicherheit verantwortlich.
The captain of the guard was responsible for security.
This meaning is often found in historical or literary texts. A very typical compound in this context is 'der Räuberhauptmann' (the robber captain).
In der Legende war Robin Hood der Hauptmann seiner Bande von Geächteten.
In the legend, Robin Hood was the leader of his band of outlaws.
The term 'Hauptmann' (captain) for the captain of a sports team is very rare today and is considered outdated. You hear it almost only in old reports or films.
In dem alten Sportbericht wurde der Hauptmann der Nationalmannschaft interviewt.
In the old sports report, the captain of the national team was interviewed.
captain
Both words can refer to a person in command in a military context, but they do not designate the same kind of role. “Kapitän” names the command position on a ship or in an airplane, whereas “Hauptmann” is a military officer rank in the army or air force.
Der Hauptmann führte die Soldaten bei der Übung auf dem Gelände.
The army captain led the soldiers during the exercise on the grounds.
Der Kapitän des Militärflugzeugs gab der Besatzung den Befehl zum Start.
The captain of the military aircraft ordered the crew to take off.
