foreman
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foreman
An experienced worker who guides and supervises a small group of employees, usually in skilled trades, industry, or on a construction site. He is the first level of leadership and often works alongside the others himself.
Der Vorarbeiter auf der Baustelle teilte die Aufgaben für den heutigen Tag ein.
The foreman on the construction site assigned the tasks for today.
The word is made up of the preposition 'vor' (in front of/before) and 'Arbeiter' (worker). A 'Vorarbeiter' (foreman) is therefore literally a worker who stands 'in front of' the others and leads them.
Als neuer Mitarbeiter musst du auf die Anweisungen des Vorarbeiters hören.
As a new employee, you have to listen to the foreman's instructions.
The term 'Vorarbeiter' (foreman) is used almost exclusively in craft/trade or industrial professions. You typically find it on construction sites, in factories, or in workshops, but not in an office.
Der Vorarbeiter in der Werkstatt kontrollierte die Qualität der fertigen Teile.
The foreman in the workshop checked the quality of the finished parts.
A foreman often has specific duties. Typical verbs that describe his role are 'die Mitarbeiter anleiten' (to guide the employees), 'die Arbeit einteilen' (to assign/divide up the work), and 'die Ausführung überwachen' (to supervise the execution).
Der Vorarbeiter teilte die Teams für die verschiedenen Bauabschnitte ein.
The foreman assigned the teams to the different construction sections.
master / champion
'der Meister' and 'der Vorarbeiter' can both be a person in a leadership role in a skilled trade or technical work environment. However, 'der Meister' has a special professional qualification, namely the master craftsman's examination. He can often also train apprentices and have more responsibility in the business. 'der Vorarbeiter' is usually an experienced worker who directly guides a small group and often works alongside them himself. He does not necessarily have to be a 'Meister'. Learners may confuse the words because both can tell others what to do. As a simple guide: 'Meister' emphasizes training and professional level, while 'Vorarbeiter' emphasizes directly leading a work group.
Auf der Baustelle zeigt der Vorarbeiter dem Team, wo die neuen Rohre liegen sollen.
On the construction site, the foreman shows the team where the new pipes should go.
Nächste Woche fragt Mehmet den Meister, ob er die Prüfung früher machen darf.
Next week Mehmet will ask the master craftsman whether he may take the exam earlier.