responsible
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responsible for
To have official responsibility or authority for a specific task, area, or person.
Frau Meier ist in unserer Firma für die Personalangelegenheiten zuständig.
Ms. Meier is responsible for personnel matters in our company.
to feel responsible
To feel responsible for something and act accordingly, even without an official assignment.
Obwohl es nicht ihre Abteilung war, fühlte sie sich zuständig und half den neuen Kollegen.
Although it was not her department, she felt responsible and helped the new colleagues.
The adjective 'zuständig' (responsible) is almost always used with the preposition 'für' (for) and the accusative. This structure is fixed and expresses what someone is responsible for.
Welcher Kollege ist für die Organisation der Weihnachtsfeier zuständig?
Which colleague is responsible for organizing the Christmas party?
'Zuständig' (responsible) is mainly used in a professional or administrative context. It describes an official, assigned task or responsibility.
Bitte wenden Sie sich an die zuständige Abteilung im Rathaus.
Please contact the responsible department at city hall.
The expression 'sich zuständig fühlen' (to feel responsible) describes a personal feeling of responsibility, as opposed to an official duty. The verb 'fühlen' (to feel) and the reflexive pronoun 'sich' indicate this meaning.
Niemand war offiziell zuständig, aber er fühlte sich zuständig und kümmerte sich um das Problem.
No one was officially responsible, but he felt responsible and took care of the problem.
responsible
Verantwortlich and zuständig can both connect a person with a task. Zuständig emphasizes the officially assigned area of responsibility, while verantwortlich places more emphasis on the duty and possible accountability for mistakes. Use zuständig for the official point of contact and verantwortlich when being answerable for the result is meant.
Für Fragen zur Abrechnung ist das Sekretariat zuständig.
The secretariat is responsible for questions about the accounts.
Frau Keller ist für die korrekte Abrechnung des Projekts verantwortlich.
Ms. Keller is responsible for the project’s accounts being correct.
