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personell
personnel-related
Refers to personnel, that is, the employees of an organization or company.
example
Das Unternehmen ist personell gut aufgestellt für die neuen Herausforderungen.
The company is well staffed for the new challenges.
personell
personnel / personal
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Meanings
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Usage tips
False friend
The German adjective 'personell' means 'relating to personnel'. It is often confused with the English noun 'personnel' (das Personal, die Belegschaft — the staff, workforce). So you cannot say 'das Personell der Firma'.
EXAMPLE
Wir müssen die Abteilung personell verstärken.
We need to reinforce the department in terms of staffing.
Word family
The word 'personell' (personnel-related) is derived directly from 'das Personal' (the staff/personnel). So it always describes a connection to the employees of a company or organization.
EXAMPLE
Es gab einige personelle Veränderungen in der Geschäftsführung.
There were some personnel changes in management.
Typical collocations
In a business context, 'personell' (personnel-related) is often used in fixed combinations. Typical examples are 'personelle Ressourcen' (personnel resources), 'personelle Engpässe' (staffing shortages), or the statement that a department is 'personell unterbesetzt' (understaffed).
EXAMPLE
Wegen Krankheit gibt es bei uns gerade einen personellen Engpass.
Because of illness, we currently have a staffing shortage.
Context clue
This rarer meaning is used to distinguish private motives from professional or factual ones. It is often found in the expression 'aus personellen Gründen' (for personal reasons).
EXAMPLE
Er hat den Job aus rein personellen Gründen abgelehnt.
He turned down the job for purely personal reasons.
Compare with
personell vs persönlich
personal / in person
'persönlich' and 'personell' look similar and both have to do with people. Use 'persönlich' when something directly, privately, or individually concerns a single person, or when someone does something themselves. 'personell' is more appropriate for personnel, that is, employees in a company or organization. The words are easy to confuse because of their similar form. A practical tip: for private or direct matters, you usually say 'persönlich'; for employees and positions, you say 'personell'.
personell
Wegen vieler Krankmeldungen ist das Team personell im Moment sehr knapp besetzt.
Because many people have called in sick, the team is very short-staffed at the moment.
persönlich
Diese Frage ist sehr persönlich, deshalb möchte ich sie nicht vor allen beantworten.
This question is very personal, so I don't want to answer it in front of everyone.
In real life
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