der
Übersetzer
📖 What does "der Übersetzer" mean?
Der Übersetzer refers to a male person whose profession or activity is to transfer written texts from one language to another. It's derived from the verb übersetzen (to translate).
It's a job title. The female form is die Übersetzerin (female translator).
🚨 Attention: An Übersetzer primarily works with written texts. A person who translates spoken language is called a Dolmetscher (interpreter).
Article rules for der, die, and das
Male characters → always masculine.
Caution: Most professions also have their feminine forms (e.g. die Polizistin). Some words can also have two forms: der/die Deutsche, der/die Kranke.
-er → mostly masculine.
1. Caution: many exceptions. 2. almost all -euer nouns are neutral. 3. There are many -er words, we don't list them all.
🧐 Grammar of "der Übersetzer" in Detail
"Übersetzer" is a masculine noun. It follows the N-declension pattern in the plural and in most singular cases (except nominative).
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Übersetzer |
| Genitive | des | Übersetzers |
| Dative | dem | Übersetzer |
| Accusative | den | Übersetzer |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Übersetzer |
| Genitive | der | Übersetzer |
| Dative | den | Übersetzern |
| Accusative | die | Übersetzer |
Example Sentences
- Der Übersetzer arbeitet an einem neuen Roman. (The translator is working on a new novel.)
- Die Unterschrift des Übersetzers fehlt auf dem Dokument. (The translator's signature is missing from the document.)
- Ich habe dem Übersetzer gestern die Dateien geschickt. (I sent the files to the translator yesterday.)
- Wir suchen dringend einen Übersetzer für Japanisch. (We urgently need a translator for Japanese.)
- Die Übersetzer treffen sich jährlich auf einer Konferenz. (The translators meet annually at a conference.)
🗣️ How is "Übersetzer" used?
Der Übersetzer is used to refer to a male person who translates written texts, either professionally or as a side job.
- Professional Context: "Er arbeitet als freiberuflicher Übersetzer für Englisch und Spanisch." (He works as a freelance translator for English and Spanish.)
- Literary Context: "Der Übersetzer dieses Buches hat den Ton des Originals gut getroffen." (The translator of this book captured the tone of the original well.)
- Technical Context: "Wir benötigen einen technischen Übersetzer für die Bedienungsanleitung." (We need a technical translator for the user manual.)
Important Distinction:
- Übersetzer: Works with written texts (books, documents, websites).
- Dolmetscher: Works with spoken language (conferences, negotiations, conversations).
Although the activities are related, they require different skills and training.
🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids
- Remembering the Article: Think of der Übersetzer as a typically male person performing the job. Many male job titles in German use "der" (der Arzt - doctor, der Lehrer - teacher).
- Remembering the Meaning: Imagine the translator building a bridge (über means 'over' or 'across') between languages, setting (setzen) words from one side to the other. He sets text over.
🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning):
- Sprachmittler: Language mediator - a broader term that can include both translators and interpreters.
- Übertrager: Transferrer - rarer and more general, not specific to language, but possible in context.
- Dolmetscher: ⚠️ Attention: Not a true synonym! Refers to an interpreter (oral translation). Often misused as a synonym.
Antonyms (Opposites):
- Originalautor / Verfasser: Original author / writer - The person who wrote the source text.
- (Broadly) Dolmetscher: Interpreter - Emphasizes the contrast between written and spoken translation.
😂 A Little Joke
DE: Fragt ein Kunde den Übersetzer: "Können Sie mir das Wort 'Feierabend' ins Englische übersetzen?" Antwortet der Übersetzer: "Klar, das heißt 'Endlich!'"
EN: A customer asks the translator: "Can you translate the word 'Feierabend' (end of the working day) into English?" The translator replies: "Sure, it means 'Finally!'" 😄
📜 Poem about the Translator
DE:
Von Wort zu Wort, von Sinn zu Sinn,
rägt er die Botschaft weit dahin.
Der Übersetzer, still und schlau,
baut Brücken, Satz für Satz, genau.
Er fängt den Geist, den Klang, den Ton,
gibt fremder Rede deutschen Lohn.
EN:
From word to word, from sense to sense,
He carries messages far hence.
The translator, quiet, clever, keen,
Builds bridges, sentence by sentence, clean.
He captures spirit, sound, and tone,
Gives foreign speech a German throne (reward).
❓ Little Riddle
DE:
Ich spreche viele Sprachen stumm,
Bring fremde Welten dir ins Rum.
Mit Stift und Buch, nicht Mund und Ohr,
Bring ich dir fremde Worte vor.
Wer bin ich? ... Der Übersetzer
EN:
I speak many languages silently,
Bring foreign worlds around to thee.
With pen and book, not mouth and ear,
I bring you foreign words so clear.
Who am I? ... The translator
💡 Other Information
- Word Formation: The word is composed of the prefix über- (over, across), the verb setzen (to set, put), and the suffix -er (indicating a person performing an action).
- Feminine Form: The female equivalent is die Übersetzerin (plural: die Übersetzerinnen).
- Verb: The related verb is übersetzen (to translate).
- Distinction: The clear separation between Übersetzer (written) and Dolmetscher (spoken) is important in professional language use.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Übersetzer?
The noun "Übersetzer" is masculine. The correct article is der: der Übersetzer (the male translator). The feminine form is "die Übersetzerin" (the female translator), and the plural is "die Übersetzer" (the translators).