Why does the noun Direktor have the article der?

Nouns referring to male persons are masculine.

Examples

der Mann (man), der Vater (father), der Bruder (brother), der Sohn (son), der Onkel (uncle), der Neffe (nephew), der Großvater (grandfather)

Declension table for German noun Direktor

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Direktorein Direktorkein Direktor
Akkusativden Direktoreinen Direktorkeinen Direktor
Dativdem Direktoreinem Direktorkeinem Direktor
Genitivdes Direktorseines Direktorskeines Direktors

Examples in context

Real sentences using Direktor in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der neue Direktor ist hier.The new director is here.
Ein guter Direktor führt gut.A good director leads well.
Kein alter Direktor arbeitet hier.No old director works here.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe den neuen Direktor.I see the new director.
Wir suchen einen guten Direktor.We are looking for a good director.
Sie kennt keinen alten Direktor.She knows no old director.
Dativ
Ich spreche mit dem neuen Direktor.I speak with the new director.
Sie hilft einem jungen Direktor.She helps a young director.
Er vertraut keinem alten Direktor.He trusts no old director.
Genitiv
Das Büro des neuen Direktors ist groß.The office of the new director is large.
Die Rede eines guten Direktors war lang.The speech of a good director was long.
Die Entscheidung keines schlechten Direktors zählt.The decision of no bad director counts.

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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 Direktor?

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

What CEFR level is the word Direktor?

The German noun Direktor is categorized as Intermediate (B1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.

What is the plural of der Direktor?

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

What does der Direktor mean in English?

The German word der Direktor translates to “director” in English.

How do you decline der Direktor?

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

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.