01
der Präsident
president
The head of state in a republic.
example
Der französische Präsident besucht nächste Woche Berlin.
The French president is visiting Berlin next week.
der Präsident
president
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Meanings
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Usage tips
N-declension
'Der Präsident' (president) is a noun of the N-declension. This means it takes the ending '-en' in the genitive, dative, and accusative singular. Learners often make mistakes with this.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe den Präsidenten gestern im Fernsehen gesehen.
I saw the president on television yesterday.
Context clue
You can tell from context whether the head of state or the head of an organization is meant. In connection with country names, it means the head of state; with clubs or companies, it means the leader.
EXAMPLE
Der amerikanische Präsident hält eine Rede.
The American president is giving a speech.
Typical use
In the context of organizations, the construction 'jemanden zum Präsidenten wählen' (to elect someone president) or 'zum Präsidenten ernannt werden' (to be appointed president) is often used.
EXAMPLE
Sie wurde zur neuen Präsidentin des Unternehmensverbands gewählt.
She was elected the new president of the business association.
Compare with
Präsident vs König
king
'der König' and 'der Präsident' can both be the head of state of a country. The important difference lies in the form of government. A 'König' belongs to a monarchy and usually gets his role through his family. A 'Präsident' belongs to a republic and is normally elected or chosen through a political process. Learners may confuse the words because both can stand at the head of a state. So pay attention to the country and its form of government: monarchy with a king, republic with a president.
Präsident
Der Präsident wurde für vier Jahre gewählt.
The president was elected for four years.
König
Der König hielt vor dem Parlament eine kurze Rede.
The king gave a short speech before parliament.
In real life
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