noun
candidate, applicant
B1
Kandidat (der) means candidate or applicant. It denotes someone applying or nominated for a position or election. Plural is Kandidaten. Note: weak masculine noun (N-declension) — many singular cases add -en (der Kandidat, den Kandidaten, dem Kandidaten, des Kandidaten). Common in politics and hiring contexts.
Examples
Ich bin ein Kandidat.
I am a candidate.
Der Kandidat wurde für das Amt vorgeschlagen.
The candidate was nominated for the office.
Als Bewerber war er ein starker Kandidat für die Stelle.
As an applicant, he was a strong contender for the job.
Details
Mnemonics
Imagine a person standing at a podium with a badge reading 'Kandidat'
Sounds like 'candidate' — English cognate
DER Kandidat — picture a male candidate (der = masculine) though the female form is Kandidatin
Notes
Kandidat is masculine by default; the feminine form is Kandidatin. Used in politics, job applications, and other selection contexts.