besetzen

Besetzen is a German verb meaning to occupy, to take possession of a place, post, or area, or to fill a vacancy by appointing someone. It can refer to physical occupation, such as military forces occupying territory, as well as to assigning or occupying a seat, slot, or role. The related noun Besetzung denotes the act of occupying or filling a position, the cast of a play or film, or the instrumentation in music.

Etymology and usage notes: Besetzen is formed from the verb setzen with the prefix be-, which broadens the sense to an effecting action. The term has long been used in both concrete and abstract contexts, from military occupation to job appointments and scheduling.

Common usage: Intransitive and transitive senses appear in everyday German. Examples include: Die Soldaten besetzen das Dorf (The soldiers occupy the village); Die Stelle ist frei, wir müssen sie besetzen (We need to fill the vacancy); Sie besetzt seit drei Jahren die Position der Abteilungsleiterin (She has held the department head position for three years). The adjective form besetzt describes something that is currently occupied: Der Sitz ist besetzt. The noun Besetzung covers the act of occupying a post, the cast of a theater production, or the instrumentation in an ensemble.

Relational terms: Besetzung should not be confused with Besatzung, which more specifically denotes occupation by an external power or the crew of a vehicle. Besetzung also has specialized senses in arts and music, such as casting a role or specifying the instrumentations of an ensemble.