01
der Kapitän
captain
The person who has command of a ship or airplane and bears responsibility for it.
example
Der Kapitän steuerte das Schiff sicher durch den Sturm.
The captain steered the ship safely through the storm.
der Kapitän
captain
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Grammar trap: N-declension
'Der Kapitän' (captain) is a weak noun (N-declension). This means it takes the ending '-en' in all cases except the nominative singular.
EXAMPLE
Die Mannschaft vertraut dem Kapitän_en_.
The team trusts the captain.
Context clue
You can tell from context whether a ship/airplane captain or a sports captain is meant. Words like 'Schiff' (ship), 'Flugzeug' (airplane), or 'Crew' (crew) point to the commander, while 'Mannschaft' (team), 'Team' (team), or 'Spiel' (game) point to the athlete.
EXAMPLE
Der Kapitän der Nationalmannschaft gab nach dem Spiel ein Interview.
The captain of the national team gave an interview after the game.
Typical collocations
In a maritime or aviation context, 'Kapitän' (captain) is often connected with verbs like 'steuern' (to steer), 'navigieren' (to navigate), or 'das Kommando haben' (to have command). A typical location phrase is 'auf der Brücke' (on the bridge).
EXAMPLE
Der Kapitän hat das alleinige Kommando auf der Brücke.
The captain has sole command on the bridge.
Typical collocations
In a sports context, the most common combination is 'Kapitän der Mannschaft' (captain of the team). An important symbol is the 'Kapitänsbinde' (captain's armband), which the captain wears on the arm.
EXAMPLE
Er wurde zum neuen Kapitän der Mannschaft ernannt und trug stolz die Kapitänsbinde.
He was appointed the new captain of the team and proudly wore the captain's armband.
Compare with
Kapitän vs Trainer
trainer / coach
'der Trainer' and 'der Kapitän' can both be important people on a sports team. The coach leads training, plans tactics, and looks after the players. He does not have to play himself. The captain, on the other hand, is a player on the team and leads the team during the game, often with an armband. The words can be confused because both have responsibility and can give instructions. In sports, the rule is: the coach usually stands on the sidelines, while the captain plays on the field.
Kapitän
Der Kapitän spricht kurz mit dem Schiedsrichter und führt dann sein Team aufs Feld.
The captain speaks briefly with the referee and then leads his team onto the field.
Trainer
Der Trainer erklärt der Mannschaft vor dem Spiel die neue Taktik.
The coach explains the new tactics to the team before the game.
In real life
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