Why does the noun Kaiser have the article der?

Nouns referring to male persons are masculine.

Examples

der Mann (man), der Vater (father), der Bruder (brother), der Sohn (son), der Onkel (uncle), der Neffe (nephew), der Großvater (grandfather)

Declension table for German noun Kaiser

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Kaiserein Kaiserkein Kaiser
Akkusativden Kaisereinen Kaiserkeinen Kaiser
Dativdem Kaisereinem Kaiserkeinem Kaiser
Genitivdes Kaiserseines Kaiserskeines Kaisers

Examples in context

Real sentences using Kaiser in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der große Kaiser ist alt.The great emperor is old.
Ein neuer Kaiser regiert das Land.A new emperor rules the country.
Kein alter Kaiser ist hier.No old emperor is here.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe den großen Kaiser.I see the great emperor.
Wir suchen einen neuen Kaiser.We are looking for a new emperor.
Ich sehe keinen alten Kaiser.I don't see any old emperor.
Dativ
Ich helfe dem großen Kaiser.I help the great emperor.
Ich spreche mit einem neuen Kaiser.I speak with a new emperor.
Ich helfe keinem alten Kaiser.I don't help any old emperor.
Genitiv
Die Krone des großen Kaisers ist schön.The crown of the great emperor is beautiful.
Der Palast eines neuen Kaisers ist groß.The palace of a new emperor is large.
Die Macht keines alten Kaisers ist ewig.The power of no old emperor is eternal.

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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 Kaiser?

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

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

What does der Kaiser mean in English?

The German word der Kaiser translates to “emperor” in English.

How do you decline der Kaiser?

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

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.