Why does the noun Doktor have the article der?
Default/male form of professions are masculine.
Examples
der Arzt (doctor), der Lehrer (teacher), der Koch (cook), der Polizist (policeman), der Ingenieur (engineer), der Anwalt (lawyer)
Declension table for German noun Doktor
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Doktor | ein Doktor | kein Doktor |
| Akkusativ | den Doktor | einen Doktor | keinen Doktor |
| Dativ | dem Doktor | einem Doktor | keinem Doktor |
| Genitiv | des Doktors | eines Doktors | keines Doktors |
| Nominativ | die Doktoren | Doktoren | keine Doktoren |
| Akkusativ | die Doktoren | Doktoren | keine Doktoren |
| Dativ | den Doktoren | Doktoren | keinen Doktoren |
| Genitiv | der Doktoren | Doktoren | keiner Doktoren |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Doktor in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Der neue Doktor kommt gleich.The new doctor is coming soon. | Ein guter Doktor ist im Haus.A good doctor is in the house. | Hier ist kein deutscher Doktor.There is no German doctor here. |
| Akkusativ | Ich rufe den neuen Doktor an.I am calling the new doctor. | Wir suchen einen guten Doktor.We are looking for a good doctor. | Ich kenne keinen privaten Doktor.I don't know a private doctor. |
| Dativ | Ich spreche mit dem alten Doktor.I am speaking with the old doctor. | Sie geht zu einem neuen Doktor.She is going to a new doctor. | Er war bei keinem guten Doktor.He wasn't at a good doctor's. |
| Genitiv | Das ist die Tasche des neuen Doktors.That is the new doctor's bag. | Die Meinung eines guten Doktors ist wichtig.The opinion of a good doctor is important. | Das ist die Schuld keines deutschen Doktors.That is not the fault of any German doctor. |
| Nominativ | Die jungen Doktoren arbeiten viel.The young doctors work a lot. | Dort sind gute Doktoren.There are good doctors there. | Das sind keine echten Doktoren.Those are not real doctors. |
| Akkusativ | Er fragt die erfahrenen Doktoren.He asks the experienced doctors. | Die Klinik braucht neue Doktoren.The clinic needs new doctors. | Wir haben hier keine freien Doktoren.We have no available doctors here. |
| Dativ | Wir danken den freundlichen Doktoren.We thank the friendly doctors. | Er hilft jungen Doktoren.He helps young doctors. | Ich glaube keinen falschen Doktoren.I don't believe any wrong doctors. |
| Genitiv | Der Rat der alten Doktoren war gut.The advice of the old doctors was good. | Die Arbeit junger Doktoren ist schwer.The work of young doctors is hard. | Trotz keiner guten Doktoren wurde er gesund.Despite no good doctors, he did not get well. |
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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 Doktor?
It is der Doktor. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Doktor 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 Doktor?
The German noun Doktor is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of der Doktor?
The plural form of der Doktor is die Doktoren. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does der Doktor mean in English?
The German word der Doktor translates to “doctor” in English.
How do you decline der Doktor?
Like all German nouns, Doktor changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: der Doktor
- Akkusativ: den Doktor
- Dativ: dem Doktor
- Genitiv: des Doktors
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.
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