der Kadett
cadet
An officer candidate who is trained at a military school or naval academy.
EXAMPLE
Der junge Kadett lernte an der Marineakademie die Grundlagen der Seefahrt.
The young cadet learned the basics of seamanship at the naval academy.
der Kadett
cadet
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Meanings
der Kadett
cadet
Historically, the term also referred to a younger son of the nobility who was intended for a military career because he was not entitled to inherit.
EXAMPLE
Als Kadett trat er in die preußische Armee ein, da sein älterer Bruder das Familiengut erben würde.
As a cadet, he entered the Prussian army, since his older brother would inherit the family estate.
Usage tips
N-declension
'Kadett' (cadet) belongs to the N-declension. Except in the nominative singular, the ending '-en' is added in all other cases.
EXAMPLE
Der Roman erzählt die Geschichte eines jungen Kadetten.
The novel tells the story of a young cadet.
Register and origin
The word comes from French and is used almost exclusively in military or historical contexts. It is very rare in everyday language.
EXAMPLE
In alten Filmen über die Marine sieht man oft Kadetten in Uniform.
In old films about the navy, you often see cadets in uniform.
Context clue
Whether a modern officer candidate or a historical noble son is meant depends on the time period. References to 18th-century Prussia point to the historical meaning, while a modern naval academy points to the present-day meaning.
EXAMPLE
Die Kadetten der Luftwaffe lernen das Fliegen in Simulatoren.
The air force cadets learn to fly in simulators.
Typical collocations
In the context of training, 'Kadett' (cadet) is often connected with the place of training. Typical formulations are 'Kadett an einer Militärakademie' (cadet at a military academy) or 'Kadett auf einem Segelschulschiff' (cadet on a sail training ship).
EXAMPLE
Er begann seine Karriere als Kadett auf dem Schulschiff Gorch Fock.
He began his career as a cadet on the training ship Gorch Fock.
Compare with
Kadett vs Fähnrich
ensign / officer cadet
Fähnrich and Kadett can both refer to an aspiring officer in training. Fähnrich is a specific military rank for an officer candidate. Kadett, by contrast, refers to an officer candidate being trained at a military school or naval academy.
Kadett
Während seiner Offiziersausbildung lebte der Kadett an der Marineakademie.
During his officer training, the cadet lived at the naval academy.
Fähnrich
Während seiner Offiziersausbildung wurde der Soldat zum Fähnrich befördert.
During his officer training, the soldier was promoted to ensign.
In real life
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