stellvertretende

Stellvertretende is a German adjective used to describe a person who temporarily fulfills the duties of another, or who represents an office in the absence of its holder. It conveys an acting or substitute status and is commonly found in official, corporate, and political contexts. Examples include stellvertretender Geschäftsführer (acting managing director) and stellvertretende Vorsitzende (acting chairwoman).

Grammatically, stellvertretende is the attributive form of the stem "stellvertretend" and is declined to agree with the gender and number of the noun it modifies. Typical forms include stellvertretender (masculine), stellvertretende (feminine or plural in certain positions), and stellvertretendes (neuter). For instance, der stellvertretende Präsident, die stellvertretende Präsidentin, die stellvertretenden Präsidenten. When used with definite articles, the endings align with standard adjective declension rules in German.

In usage, stellvertretende signals interim or temporary authority rather than a permanent appointment. It is common in businesses, government bodies, universities, and other organizations. The term is closely related to Stellvertretung (the act or position of standing in for someone) and to the adverbial form stellvertretend, meaning “on behalf of” or “representatively,” as in sprach stellvertretend für den Adressaten.

Notes and related terms: while stellvertretende is primarily used as an attributive adjective, the related noun forms for a deputy are usually Stellvertreter (male) or Stellvertreterin (female). Stellvertretung denotes substitution or representation as a concept rather than a person. Together, these terms describe the structure of temporary leadership and delegated representation in German-speaking contexts.