Vertreter

Vertreter is a German noun meaning “representative” or “agent.” It denotes a person who represents or acts on behalf of others, or who stands in for an organization or group. The base form is der Vertreter (masculine); die Vertreterin is the feminine form. The plural is die Vertreter (masculine or mixed gender) and die Vertreterinnen for a group of women; in everyday usage the generic plural often covers all genders.

In politics and public life, a Vertreter refers to a representative elected or designated to speak for a constituency, organization, or community. In parliamentary contexts it can denote someone who acts as a delegate or envoy, authorized to voice the interests of others. In legal and administrative settings, a Vertreter may be someone who conducts transactions or negotiates on another person’s or entity’s behalf, often under a power of attorney or formal mandate.

In business and commerce, the term is common for a sales representative or field agent who represents a company’s products or services to customers. Such representatives typically handle customer relations, product demonstrations, and sales negotiations, sometimes under a distribution agreement or agency contract. The word can also refer to internal substitutes, such as a deputy who stands in for a manager or director.

Distinctions exist with related terms: Stellvertreter emphasizes acting in place of someone in their absence; Bevollmächtigter refers to a person granted explicit authority to act legally. In English, Vertreter is often translated as “representative,” “agent,” or “proxy,” depending on the context.