Why does the noun Kellner 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 Kellner
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Kellner | ein Kellner | — |
| Akkusativ | den Kellner | einen Kellner | — |
| Dativ | dem Kellner | einem Kellner | — |
| Genitiv | des Kellners | eines Kellners | — |
| Nominativ | die Kellner | — Kellner | — |
| Akkusativ | die Kellner | — Kellner | — |
| Dativ | den Kellnern | — Kellnern | — |
| Genitiv | der Kellner | — Kellner | — |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Kellner in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | — | ||
| Akkusativ | — | ||
| Dativ | — | ||
| Genitiv | — | ||
| Nominativ | — | ||
| Akkusativ | — | ||
| Dativ | — | ||
| Genitiv | — |
GET THE APP
Practice der Kellner in the app
Master der Kellner (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
Frequently asked questions
Everything you might wonder about der, die, das — and the Der Artikel app.
Is it der, die, or das Kellner?
What is the plural of der Kellner?
What does der Kellner mean in English?
How do you decline der Kellner?
- Nominativ: der Kellner
- Akkusativ: den Kellner
- Dativ: dem Kellner
- Genitiv: des Kellners
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.