capitalist
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capitalist
A person who has substantial capital (money, means of production, real estate) and uses it to generate profit. The term is often used in a critical context.
In der politischen Diskussion wurde er als rücksichtsloser Kapitalist dargestellt, dem nur der eigene Profit wichtig sei.
In the political debate, he was portrayed as a ruthless capitalist who cared only about his own profit.
The word is derived from 'das Kapital' (capital, wealth). The suffix '-ist' refers to a person who belongs to a particular belief system or group, as in 'Sozialist' (socialist) or 'Pazifist' (pacifist).
Er hat sein Kapital in verschiedene Aktien investiert.
He invested his capital in various stocks.
'Der Kapitalist' (the capitalist) belongs to a word family with 'das Kapital' (wealth/capital), 'der Kapitalismus' (capitalism), and 'kapitalistisch' (capitalist/capitalistic, adjective). If you know one word, you can often understand the others.
Die Debatte drehte sich um die Vor- und Nachteile des Kapitalismus.
The debate centered on the advantages and disadvantages of capitalism.
In this meaning, the word often has a negative or critical connotation. It is frequently used in political or socially critical discussions to address greed or social injustice.
Der Redner bezeichnete die Firmenchefs als gierige Kapitalisten.
The speaker referred to the company bosses as greedy capitalists.
When 'Kapitalist' (capitalist) describes a supporter of capitalism, the use is often more neutral. A typical combination is 'überzeugter Kapitalist' (convinced capitalist) to describe someone's economic worldview.
Als überzeugter Kapitalist verteidigte er den freien Markt.
As a convinced capitalist, he defended the free market.
entrepreneur
'der Unternehmer' and 'der Kapitalist' can both have to do with business, ownership, and profit. 'Der Unternehmer' mainly means a person who runs, owns, or founds a company and carries responsibility and risk for it. 'Der Kapitalist' emphasizes capital, meaning money or property used to generate profit. The word can also mean a person who supports capitalism. It often sounds critical or political. Learners may confuse the words because some entrepreneurs can also be capitalists. In everyday, neutral language, 'Unternehmer' is more commonly used for a company person. 'Kapitalist' fits better when financial power, ownership, or a political viewpoint is the focus.
In der Diskussion wurde der reiche Investor als Kapitalist kritisiert.
In the discussion, the rich investor was criticized as a capitalist.
Frau Hoffmann ist Unternehmerin geworden und leitet jetzt eine kleine IT-Firma.
Ms. Hoffmann became an entrepreneur and now runs a small IT company.