German Conversation · Level 4
88 words
German word
der
Pronunciation
IPA/deːɐ̯/
Meaning
- articlethe
Example
In der Tasche ist ein Buch.
There is a book in the bag.
More examples
Auf der Straße steht der Mann.
The man is standing in the street.
Core concept
A highlighted person or thing already in view, with its form changing to fit gender and case.
Common phrases
der Mann
the man
in der Tasche
in the bag
auf der Straße
on the street
Similar words
die: Marks a specific feminine noun as the subject, equivalent to English 'the'.
das: Marks a specific neuter noun as the subject, equivalent to English 'the'.
den: Marks a specific masculine noun as the direct object of a verb.
dem: Marks a specific recipient or beneficiary in a dative phrase.
Definition in German
Steht für eine zuvor erwähnte oder sichtbare Person oder Sache und hebt diese besonders hervor.
Word origin
German der comes from an old Germanic demonstrative form, and its use as a definite article developed from this earlier pointing function.
Usage tips
- As a standalone pronoun, der can mean 'that person' or 'that one', while in der Tasche it is the article in a feminine dative phrase.
Other meanings
- thatpronoun
- that personpronoun