Why does the noun Hunger 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 Hunger
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Hunger | ein Hunger | kein Hunger |
| Akkusativ | den Hunger | einen Hunger | keinen Hunger |
| Dativ | dem Hunger | einem Hunger | keinem Hunger |
| Genitiv | des Hungers | eines Hungers | keines Hungers |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Hunger in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Der große Hunger ist schlimm.The great hunger is bad. | Ein starker Hunger plagt mich.A strong hunger plagues me. | Kein kleiner Hunger stört uns.No small hunger bothers us. |
| Akkusativ | Ich habe den großen Hunger.I have the great hunger. | Er spürt einen starken Hunger.He feels a strong hunger. | Wir haben keinen kleinen Hunger.We have no small hunger. |
| Dativ | Ich leide unter dem großen Hunger.I suffer from the great hunger. | Er kämpft mit einem starken Hunger.He struggles with a strong hunger. | Sie gibt keinem kleinen Hunger nach.She doesn't give in to any small hunger. |
| Genitiv | Die Ursache des großen Hungers ist klar.The cause of the great hunger is clear. | Die Folgen eines starken Hungers sind schlimm.The consequences of a strong hunger are bad. | Ich kenne die Gründe keines kleinen Hungers.I know the reasons for no small hunger. |
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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 Hunger?
What CEFR level is the word Hunger?
What is the plural of der Hunger?
What does der Hunger mean in English?
How do you decline der Hunger?
- Nominativ: der Hunger
- Akkusativ: den Hunger
- Dativ: dem Hunger
- Genitiv: des Hungers
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.