Vertreters

Vertreters is the genitive singular form of the German noun Vertreter, which means representative, delegate, or agent. In standard use, Vertreters itself does not function as an independent lexical entry; it is the grammatical ending used to indicate possession in phrases referring to a single male representative.

Etymology and form: Vertreter is derived from the verb vertreten, meaning to represent. The masculine singular genitive ends with -es in written German, producing des Vertreters. For a female representative, the corresponding genitive form is der Vertreterin (not des Vertreters). Thus, Vertreters is tied to masculine usage and appears only within possessive constructions such as des Vertreters, die Entscheidung des Vertreters, or das Protokoll des Vertreters.

Usage notes: Vertreters is typically seen in phrases that specify something belonging to or associated with a single representative. It does not denote a group or organization by itself. In plural contexts, the word form changes: die Vertreter (nominative plural) and der Vertreter (genitive plural), while the feminine forms differ (die Vertreterinnen, der Vertreterin, etc.).

Examples: Die Stimme des Vertreters war entscheidend. Das Mandat des Vertreters wurde verlängert. Im Vergleich dazu würde der Genitiv der weiblichen Form lauten: der Vertreterin.

Context and clarity: In most contemporary texts, writers use Vertreter combined with the appropriate possessive article (des Vertreters, der Vertreterin) rather than treating Vertreters as a standalone noun. The term is more of a grammatical ending than a distinct subject, and its primary relevance is in grammatical analysis or in precise possessive constructions.