Why does the noun Herrscher 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 Herrscher

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Herrscherein Herrscherkein Herrscher
Akkusativden Herrschereinen Herrscherkeinen Herrscher
Dativdem Herrschereinem Herrscherkeinem Herrscher
Genitivdes Herrscherseines Herrscherskeines Herrschers

Examples in context

Real sentences using Herrscher in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der alte Herrscher ist weise.The old ruler is wise.
Ein alter Herrscher regiert gut.An old ruler governs well.
Kein alter Herrscher lebt hier.No old ruler lives here.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe den alten Herrscher.I see the old ruler.
Ich suche einen alten Herrscher.I am looking for an old ruler.
Ich kenne keinen alten Herrscher.I don't know any old ruler.
Dativ
Ich helfe dem alten Herrscher.I help the old ruler.
Ich spreche mit einem alten Herrscher.I speak with an old ruler.
Ich gebe keinem alten Herrscher Rat.I give no old ruler advice.
Genitiv
Das ist der Palast des alten Herrschers.That is the palace of the old ruler.
Das ist der Palast eines alten Herrschers.That is the palace of an old ruler.
Ich kenne die Geschichte keines alten Herrschers.I know the story of no old ruler.

GET THE APP

Practice der Herrscher in the app

Master der Herrscher (and 5,000+ other German nouns) with quizzes, smart review, and instant grammar tips.

  • 5,000+ nouns with translations in 11 languages
  • Quizzes by level, category, or your weakest words
  • Snap a photo of any German text — extract nouns instantly
Der Artikel app — quiz screen Der Artikel app — grammar rule tooltip

Frequently asked questions

Everything you might wonder about der, die, das — and the Der Artikel app.

Is it der, die, or das Herrscher?

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

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

What does der Herrscher mean in English?

The German word der Herrscher translates to “ruler, sovereign” in English.

How do you decline der Herrscher?

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

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.