representative / substitute
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representative
A person who acts on behalf of another person, a group, or a company, for example in sales or in legal matters.
Ein Vertreter der Versicherung hat uns die neuen Tarife erklärt.
A representative from the insurance company explained the new rates to us.
'Der Vertreter' (the representative/substitute) is derived directly from the verb 'vertreten' (to represent). A 'Vertreter' is therefore a person who represents another person or a company.
Er vertritt seine Firma auf der internationalen Konferenz.
He represents his company at the international conference.
To express who or what is being represented, you usually use the preposition 'von' (of/from) followed by the dative. Alternatively, the genitive is also used.
Ein Vertreter von der Telefongesellschaft hat bei uns geklingelt.
A representative from the telephone company rang our doorbell.
In the sense of a sales representative, 'Vertreter' (representative) is often combined into new words that describe the profession more precisely, e.g. 'Versicherungsvertreter' (insurance representative) or 'Handelsvertreter' (sales representative).
Mein Onkel war 30 Jahre lang als Staubsaugervertreter tätig.
My uncle worked as a vacuum cleaner salesman for 30 years.
The meaning 'Exemplar' (specimen/example) is used almost exclusively in a scientific or classificatory context, e.g. in biology or art history. It often appears with adjectives such as 'typisch' (typical), 'bekannt' (well-known), or 'seltener' (rarer).
Der Eisbär ist ein bekannter Vertreter der arktischen Fauna.
The polar bear is a well-known representative of Arctic fauna.
example
'das Beispiel' and 'der Vertreter' can both mean something individual that stands for a larger group. You use 'das Beispiel' when a concrete case makes a rule, idea, or statement understandable. 'Der Vertreter' in this meaning is a typical specimen of a type or group. That sounds more technical, for example in biology, art, or history. The words can be confused because both show that something general can be seen in this one case. 'Beispiel' is more about explaining a statement, while 'Vertreter' is more about describing a typical member of a group.
Der Wolf ist ein bekannter Vertreter der Familie der Hunde.
The wolf is a well-known representative of the dog family.
Frau Wagner nennt ein Beispiel, damit die Regel im Verkehr klarer wird.
Ms. Wagner gives an example so that the traffic rule becomes clearer.