wildcard
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wildcard
A special permission that allows an athlete or a team to participate in a tournament even though the regular qualification criteria have not been met.
Der junge Tennisspieler erhielt eine Wildcard für das Hauptfeld des Turniers.
The young tennis player received a wildcard for the main draw of the tournament.
'Wildcard' is a word from English that is used in German with the feminine article 'die'. The pronunciation is based on English.
Die Veranstalter haben noch eine Wildcard zu vergeben.
The organizers still have one wildcard to award.
You can recognize the meaning from the context: in sports, it refers to permission to participate in a tournament. In computing, it means a placeholder character like '*' or '?'.
Der Tennisprofi hofft auf eine Wildcard für Wimbledon.
The tennis pro is hoping for a wildcard for Wimbledon.
In a sports context, a wildcard is typically 'vergeben' (awarded), 'erhalten' (received), or 'bekommen' (gotten). One can then participate in a competition 'mit einer Wildcard' (with a wildcard).
Die junge Athletin hat für die Meisterschaft eine Wildcard erhalten.
The young athlete received a wildcard for the championship.
invitation
'Einladung' and 'Wildcard' can both have to do with taking part in an event. An 'Einladung' is a direct request to come or take part. A 'Wildcard', on the other hand, is a special permission in sports: someone may participate in a tournament even though they have not normally qualified. The words can be confused because a wildcard can feel like a special invitation. Strictly speaking, however, 'Wildcard' does not describe every invitation, but a specific exception in competitions.
Die junge Tennisspielerin erhielt eine Wildcard für das große Turnier.
The young tennis player received a wildcard for the major tournament.
Für das Schulfest bekommen die Eltern eine Einladung per E-Mail.
The parents receive an invitation to the school festival by email.