godfather / patron
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godfather
A person who is present as a witness at a child's baptism and commits to helping with the child's Christian upbringing.
Mein Onkel ist nicht nur mein Verwandter, sondern auch mein Pate.
My uncle is not only my relative but also my godfather.
'Pate' (godfather/patron) is a weak noun (N-declension). It takes the ending '-n' in the accusative, dative, and genitive singular. So it is 'ich frage den Paten' (I ask the godfather/patron) or 'das Geschenk vom Paten' (the gift from the godfather/patron).
Er hat seinen besten Freund als Paten für seine Tochter ausgewählt.
He chose his best friend as godfather for his daughter.
The three meanings can be distinguished well by context. If it is about baptism and children, the godparent is meant. In the context of crime and the Mafia, it means the boss. If it is about support for projects or animals, it means the sponsor.
Mein Pate hat mir zur Konfirmation eine Uhr geschenkt.
My godfather gave me a watch for my confirmation.
The meaning 'Mafia boss' is very strongly shaped by the famous novel and film 'Der Pate' (English: 'The Godfather'). The term is often directly associated with this story.
Er schaut sich jedes Jahr den Film 'Der Pate' an.
He watches the film 'The Godfather' every year.
In the meaning 'sponsor', 'Pate' (patron/sponsor) is very often used with the preposition 'für' (for). Typical constructions are 'Pate für etwas sein' (to be a sponsor for something) or 'Pate für jemanden werden' (to become a sponsor for someone).
Unsere Firma ist Pate für ein Kunstprojekt an einer Schule geworden.
Our company became a sponsor for an art project at a school.
boss
'Boss' and 'Pate' can both refer to the head of a criminal organization, especially in connection with the Mafia. 'Boss' is more general and can also mean a leader in many other areas. 'Pate' is more specific and strongly suggests the Mafia, power behind the scenes, and a fixed role as the head. Learners may confuse the words because both are used in crime stories for a powerful person. If you are speaking generally about the leader of a criminal group, 'Boss' fits. If you specifically mean the Mafia role or the head of the organization, 'Pate' is more precise.
Am Ende des Films wurde der alte Pate von seinen eigenen Leuten verraten.
At the end of the film, the old godfather was betrayed by his own people.
Der Boss der Bande gab die Befehle aus einem sicheren Versteck.
The boss of the gang gave the orders from a safe hiding place.