01
der Soldat
soldier
A member of a country's armed forces who has received military training.
example
Der Soldat stand in seiner Uniform Wache vor dem Gebäude.
The soldier stood guard in his uniform in front of the building.
der Soldat
soldier
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Meanings
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Usage tips
N-declension
'Der Soldat' (soldier) is a weak masculine noun (N-declension). This means it gets the ending '-en' in all cases except the nominative singular: den/dem/des Soldaten.
EXAMPLE
Ich sehe den Soldaten.
I see the soldier.
Word structure
The word 'Soldat' (soldier) is derived from the word 'der Sold' (military pay). Historically, 'Sold' was the payment that a mercenary or soldier received for his services.
EXAMPLE
Die Soldaten erhielten ihren monatlichen Sold.
The soldiers received their monthly pay.
Typical collocations
Common verbs used with 'Soldat' (soldier) are 'dienen' (to serve, as a soldier), 'werden' (to become, as in to become a soldier), and 'sein' (to be). People also speak of a 'Soldaten im Einsatz' (soldier on deployment).
EXAMPLE
Er wollte schon immer als Soldat seinem Land dienen.
He had always wanted to serve his country as a soldier.
Context clue
You can recognize the figurative meaning when 'Soldat' (soldier) is connected with a non-military organization, for example 'ein treuer Soldat der Partei' (a loyal soldier of the party) or 'ein Soldat des Unternehmens' (a soldier of the company).
EXAMPLE
Er gilt als loyaler Soldat seiner Firma und arbeitet auch am Wochenende.
He is considered a loyal soldier of his company and works even on weekends.
Compare with
Soldat vs Kämpfer
fighter
'Soldat' and 'Kämpfer' can both mean a person who fights. 'Soldat' is more precise when the person belongs to the military and has military training. 'Kämpfer' is more general: it can be a soldier, but also a boxer, a martial artist, or someone who strongly works toward a goal. The words can be confused because soldiers are often fighters. But not every fighter is a soldier. When it is about the military, 'Soldat' is usually more precise; when the commitment or the fight itself is the focus, 'Kämpfer' fits better.
Soldat
Der Soldat kehrt nach mehreren Monaten im Ausland zu seiner Familie zurück.
The soldier returns to his family after several months abroad.
Kämpfer
Trotz vieler Probleme blieb sie eine Kämpferin und gab ihr Ziel nicht auf.
Despite many problems, she remained a fighter and did not give up on her goal.
In real life
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