noun
replacement, substitute
B1
Noun meaning 'replacement' or 'substitute' (a person or spare part). Masculine: der Ersatz. Plural 'Ersätze' (note umlaut and -e), irregular compared with simple -e plurals. Standard declension (Genitive des Ersatzes). Used for substitutes, replacements or spare items; no fixed preposition.
Examples
Als Ersatz für den Lehrer kam eine erfahrene Kollegin.
An experienced colleague came in as a substitute for the teacher.
Da der Aufzug kaputt ist, müssen wir einen Ersatz finden.
Since the elevator is broken, we have to find a replacement.
Wir brauchen einen Ersatz für das defekte Teil.
We need a replacement for the broken part.
Details
Mnemonics
Picture a spare part being taken out of a box and put in place as a replacement.
Sounds like 'air-sats' — imagine a spare part that fills the air gap.
Der Ersatz — imagine 'der' as a male worker handing you a substitute part.
Notes
Ersatz can mean replacement (object) or substitute (person). As a noun it is often used in singular mass sense (der Ersatz). The genitive singular often takes -es: des Ersatzes.