Why does the noun Fischer 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 Fischer

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Fischerein Fischerkein Fischer
Akkusativden Fischereinen Fischerkeinen Fischer
Dativdem Fischereinem Fischerkeinem Fischer
Genitivdes Fischerseines Fischerskeines Fischers

Examples in context

Real sentences using Fischer in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der alte Fischer fängt Fische.The old fisherman catches fish.
Ein junger Fischer kommt heute.A young fisherman comes today.
Kein guter Fischer ist hier.No good fisherman is here.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe den alten Fischer.I see the old fisherman.
Wir suchen einen neuen Fischer.We are looking for a new fisherman.
Sie kennt keinen schlechten Fischer.She knows no bad fisherman.
Dativ
Ich helfe dem alten Fischer.I help the old fisherman.
Er spricht mit einem jungen Fischer.He speaks with a young fisherman.
Sie gibt keinem armen Fischer Geld.She gives no poor fisherman money.
Genitiv
Das Boot des alten Fischers ist klein.The boat of the old fisherman is small.
Die Hütte eines jungen Fischers steht dort.The hut of a young fisherman stands there.
Der Fang keines guten Fischers ist leer.The catch of no good fisherman is empty.

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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 Fischer?

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

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

What does der Fischer mean in English?

The German word der Fischer translates to “fisherman” in English.

How do you decline der Fischer?

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

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.