Why does the noun Einwohner 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 Einwohner

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Einwohnerein Einwohnerkein Einwohner
Akkusativden Einwohnereinen Einwohnerkeinen Einwohner
Dativdem Einwohnereinem Einwohnerkeinem Einwohner

Examples in context

Real sentences using Einwohner in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der neue Einwohner ist freundlich.The new inhabitant is friendly.
Ein alter Einwohner kennt die Stadt.An old inhabitant knows the city.
Kein Einwohner ist hier gemeldet.No inhabitant is registered here.
Akkusativ
Ich kenne den neuen Einwohner.I know the new inhabitant.
Sie trifft einen alten Einwohner.She meets an old inhabitant.
Ich sehe keinen Einwohner.I don't see any inhabitant.
Dativ
Ich helfe dem neuen Einwohner.I help the new inhabitant.
Sie spricht mit einem Einwohner.She talks to an inhabitant.
Ich vertraue keinem Einwohner.I don't trust any inhabitant.

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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 Einwohner?

It is der Einwohner. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Einwohner 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 Einwohner?

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

What does der Einwohner mean in English?

The German word der Einwohner translates to “inhabitant” in English.

How do you decline der Einwohner?

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

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.