The problem of determining arbitrary nonlinear representations of a given compact Lie group is studied with the object of constructing Lagrangians invariant under the group. To achieve this, expressions for the covariant derivatives are obtained and it is shown how previous treatments based on global and on infinitesimal considerations are related. The noncompact case, the relationship between non-linearity and zero-mass particles, and the possibility of embedding the representation manifold in a higher-dimensional space are all discussed.