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der Veteran
veteran
A person who has served as a soldier for a long time, especially in a war.
example
Am Gedenktag trafen sich die Veteranen des Zweiten Weltkriegs.
On the day of remembrance, the veterans of the Second World War met.
der Veteran
veteran
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Context clue
To understand the meaning, pay attention to the context. Words like 'Krieg' (war), 'Armee' (army), or 'Soldat' (soldier) point to a former soldier. Terms from work, politics, or sports point to an experienced person.
EXAMPLE
Der Veteran erzählte von seinen Erlebnissen im Krieg.
The veteran told stories about his experiences in the war.
Typical collocations
In a military context, it is often specified which war the person served in. Typical compounds are 'Kriegsveteran' (war veteran) or a genitive construction such as 'ein Veteran des Vietnamkriegs' (a veteran of the Vietnam War).
EXAMPLE
Jedes Jahr findet ein Treffen für die Veteranen des Zweiten Weltkriegs statt.
Every year, a meeting is held for the veterans of the Second World War.
Usage pattern
When an experienced person is meant, the field is often named directly. This usually happens with an adjective ('ein politischer Veteran' — a political veteran) or a genitive ('ein Veteran des Parlaments' — a veteran of parliament).
EXAMPLE
Mit 30 Jahren im Unternehmen ist sie eine Veteranin der Firma.
With 30 years at the company, she is a veteran of the firm.
Compare with
Veteran vs Soldat
soldier
'Soldat' and 'Veteran' both have to do with military service, but they do not mean the same thing. A 'Soldat' is a person who serves in the armed forces or has military training. A 'Veteran' is someone who has served as a soldier for a long time, especially in a war. So 'Veteran' emphasizes experience and previous service. Learners may confuse the words because a veteran used to be a soldier or may still be one. But a young soldier without long experience is not a veteran. If you mean the current military role, 'Soldat' fits. If you mean long experience or previous participation in a war, 'Veteran' fits.
Veteran
Habt ihr den Veteranen vor dem Interview schon kennengelernt?
Have you already met the veteran before the interview?
Soldat
Im Kurs erzählt sie von ihrem Bruder, der Soldat ist.
In the course, she talks about her brother, who is a soldier.
In real life
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