Why does the noun Erreger 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 Erreger

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Erregerein Erregerkein Erreger
Akkusativden Erregereinen Erregerkeinen Erreger
Dativdem Erregereinem Erregerkeinem Erreger
Genitivdes Erregerseines Erregerskeines Erregers

Examples in context

Real sentences using Erreger in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der gefährliche Erreger ist aktiv.The dangerous pathogen is active.
Ein neuer Erreger ist gefunden.A new pathogen is found.
Kein bekannter Erreger ist harmlos.No known pathogen is harmless.
Akkusativ
Wir bekämpfen den gefährlichen Erreger.We fight the dangerous pathogen.
Sie finden einen neuen Erreger.They find a new pathogen.
Ich sehe keinen bekannten Erreger.I see no known pathogen.
Dativ
Sie forschen an dem neuen Erreger.They are researching the new pathogen.
Er spricht von einem gefährlichen Erreger.He talks about a dangerous pathogen.
Ich arbeite an keinem bekannten Erreger.I am not working on any known pathogen.
Genitiv
Die Wirkung des neuen Erregers ist stark.The effect of the new pathogen is strong.
Die Gefahr eines unbekannten Erregers ist groß.The danger of an unknown pathogen is great.
Die Herkunft keines bekannten Erregers ist klar.The origin of no known pathogen is clear.

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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 Erreger?

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

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

What does der Erreger mean in English?

The German word der Erreger translates to “agent, virus, germ” in English.

How do you decline der Erreger?

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

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.