imitator / copycat
Loading your saved state.
imitator
A person who copies or imitates another person's behavior, style, or works.
Nach dem Erfolg des Originals kamen schnell viele billige Nachahmer auf den Markt.
After the success of the original, many cheap imitators quickly came onto the market.
The word is derived from the verb 'nachahmen' (to imitate). The prefix 'nach-' here means 'after' or 'following', and 'ahmen' means to imitate. The ending '-er' indicates the person who performs the action.
Kleine Kinder lernen viel durch Nachahmen.
Small children learn a lot through imitation.
The word family includes the verb 'nachahmen' (to imitate) and the noun 'die Nachahmung' (imitation). If you know these words, the meaning of 'Nachahmer' (imitator/copycat) is clear.
Seine Nachahmung des berühmten Sängers war perfekt.
His imitation of the famous singer was perfect.
You can recognize the meaning 'criminal copycat' from the context. It is used almost exclusively in connection with crimes, offenses, and police warnings.
Nach dem Banküberfall warnte die Polizei vor möglichen Nachahmern.
After the bank robbery, the police warned of possible copycats.
In the general meaning, 'Nachahmer' (imitator) is often combined with adjectives like 'billig' (cheap), 'talentiert' (talented), or 'kreativ' (creative). It often refers to products, art, or fashion trends.
Das teure Markenprodukt hatte bald viele billige Nachahmer.
The expensive branded product soon had many cheap imitators.
successor
'der Nachfolger' and 'der Nachahmer' sound similar and both begin with 'nach'. But they mean something different. A successor takes over a position, office, or task from another person. An imitator, by contrast, copies another person's behavior, style, or work. The words can be confused because both are connected to another person. The simple rule is: 'der Nachfolger' takes someone else's place; 'der Nachahmer' imitates someone.
Der junge Sänger klingt wie ein Nachahmer seines großen Vorbilds.
The young singer sounds like an imitator of his great role model.
Nach dem Rücktritt der Direktorin sucht die Schule einen Nachfolger.
After the director's resignation, the school is looking for a successor.