Why does the noun Adler have the article der?

Nouns formed from verbs with -er ending are mostly masculine. Look at the bolded -er in the noun above — that suffix is the giveaway.

Examples

der Lehrer (teacher), der Fahrer (driver), der Arbeiter (worker), der Schreiber (writer), der Spieler (player), der Maler (painter)

Exceptions

das Fenster (window), das Wasser (water), die Butter (butter), die Mutter (mother)

Declension table for German noun Adler

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Adlerein Adlerkein Adler
Akkusativden Adlereinen Adlerkeinen Adler
Dativdem Adlereinem Adlerkeinem Adler
Genitivdes Adlerseines Adlerskeines Adlers

Examples in context

Real sentences using Adler in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der starke Adler fliegt hoch.The strong eagle flies high.
Ein starker Adler fliegt vorbei.A strong eagle flies by.
Kein Adler ist am Himmel.No eagle is in the sky.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe den starken Adler.I see the strong eagle.
Er hat einen starken Adler.He has a strong eagle.
Wir haben keinen Adler gesehen.We haven't seen any eagle.
Dativ
Ich gebe dem starken Adler Futter.I give food to the strong eagle.
Er hilft einem starken Adler.He helps a strong eagle.
Ich spreche mit keinem Adler.I don't speak with any eagle.
Genitiv
Das Nest des starken Adlers ist groß.The nest of the strong eagle is big.
Die Flügel eines starken Adlers sind weiß.The wings of a strong eagle are white.
Die Größe keines Adlers ist egal.The size of no eagle matters.

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Frequently asked questions

Everything you might wonder about der, die, das — and the Der Artikel app.

Is it der, die, or das Adler?

It is der Adler. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Adler is masculine. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.

What is the plural of der Adler?

The plural form of der Adler is die Adler. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”

What does der Adler mean in English?

The German word der Adler translates to “eagle” in English.

How do you decline der Adler?

Like all German nouns, Adler changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
  • Nominativ: der Adler
  • Akkusativ: den Adler
  • Dativ: dem Adler
  • Genitiv: des Adlers

These changes are necessary because German uses cases to indicate the noun’s role in a sentence (such as the subject or object). Knowing these forms allows you to build grammatically correct sentences.