der Spieler
player
A person who takes part in a game or sport.
EXAMPLE
Der verletzte Spieler musste ausgewechselt werden.
The injured player had to be substituted.
der Spieler
player
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
der Spieler
gambler
A person who regularly plays for money; a gambler.
EXAMPLE
Er ist ein leidenschaftlicher Spieler und verbringt jedes Wochenende im Casino.
He is a passionate gambler and spends every weekend in the casino.
der Spieler
player
A person or organization that has an active and influential role in a particular field (e.g., business, politics).
EXAMPLE
Apple und Google sind die großen Spieler auf dem Smartphone-Markt.
Apple and Google are the big players in the smartphone market.
der Spieler
player
A technical device that plays media such as CDs, DVDs, or records.
EXAMPLE
Mein alter CD-Spieler funktioniert leider nicht mehr.
Unfortunately, my old CD player no longer works.
der Spieler
actor
An old-fashioned or elevated term for an actor in the theater.
EXAMPLE
Die Spieler der Hofbühne ernteten tosenden Applaus.
The actors of the court theater received thunderous applause.
Usage tips
Word family
'Der Spieler' (the player) is derived directly from the verb 'spielen' (to play). The ending '-er' refers to a person who performs the action of the verb. This structure is very common in German.
EXAMPLE
Die Kinder spielen im Garten.
The children are playing in the garden.
False friend
In English, 'player' can colloquially mean a womanizer. The German word 'Spieler' does not have this negative meaning.
EXAMPLE
Er ist ein sehr guter Spieler in unserer Fußballmannschaft.
He is a very good player on our soccer team.
Typical compounds
The word 'Spieler' (player) is often part of compound nouns that describe the person's role more precisely. Examples are 'Mitspieler' (teammate/fellow player), 'Gegenspieler' (opponent), or 'Nationalspieler' (national team player).
EXAMPLE
Sein Gegenspieler war viel schneller als er.
His opponent was much faster than he was.
Context clue
This meaning becomes clear through the context of gambling, betting, or casinos. Without such a clue, 'Spieler' (player) is usually understood as someone taking part in a sport or game.
EXAMPLE
Er hat beim Pokern viel Geld verloren, er ist ein echter Spieler.
He lost a lot of money playing poker; he is a real gambler.
Metaphorical use
This meaning is metaphorical and is usually used in the context of business or politics. The person or company is often described as a 'großer Spieler' (big player) or 'wichtiger Spieler' (important player).
EXAMPLE
In der Technologiebranche gibt es nur wenige große Spieler.
In the technology sector, there are only a few big players.
Use in compounds
When a technical device is meant, 'Spieler' (player) almost never stands alone. It is always part of a compound word such as 'CD-Spieler' (CD player), 'Plattenspieler' (record player), or 'MP3-Spieler' (MP3 player).
EXAMPLE
Ich höre gerne Musik auf meinem alten Plattenspieler.
I like listening to music on my old record player.
Register and style
This meaning of 'Schauspieler' (actor) is outdated or belongs to very elevated, literary language. It is not used in normal everyday speech.
EXAMPLE
Die Spieler auf der Bühne verbeugten sich vor dem Publikum.
The actors on the stage bowed to the audience.
Compare with
Spieler vs Teilnehmer
participant
In a tournament, the same person can be both a Spieler and a Teilnehmer. Spieler emphasizes their role in the actual game, while Teilnehmer emphasizes their participation in the competition as a whole. Spieler is suitable when referring to a move or a sporting role; Teilnehmer is more appropriate for registration and organization.
Spieler
Jeder Spieler des Schachturniers hat für seinen Zug fünf Minuten Zeit.
Every player in the chess tournament has five minutes to make their move.
Teilnehmer
Jeder Teilnehmer des Schachturniers muss sich vor Beginn am Eingang anmelden.
Every participant in the chess tournament must register at the entrance before it begins.
In real life
Loading video examples...