Singular

der

Kerl

Q: Is it der, die, or das Kerl?

It is der Kerl. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Kerl is masculine. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.

Q: What is the plural of der Kerl?

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

Q: What does der Kerl mean in English?

The German word der Kerl translates to “fellow, bloke” in English.

Q: How do you decline der Kerl?

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

fellow, bloke

Plural: die Kerle

Strong

Why does the noun Kerl 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)

View all words for this rule

Declension table for German noun Kerl

How it changes across the four cases.

Case	Definite	Indefinite	Negative
Nominativ	der Kerl	ein Kerl	kein Kerl
Akkusativ	den Kerl	einen Kerl	keinen Kerl
Dativ	dem Kerl	einem Kerl	keinem Kerl
Genitiv	des Kerls	eines Kerls	keines Kerls
Nominativ	die Kerle	Kerle	keine Kerle
Akkusativ	die Kerle	Kerle	keine Kerle
Dativ	den Kerlen	Kerlen	keinen Kerlen
Genitiv	der Kerle	Kerle	keiner Kerle

Examples in context

Real sentences using Kerl in different cases.

Case	Definite	Indefinite	Negative
Nominativ	Der alte Kerl lacht laut.The old guy laughs loudly.	Ein netter Kerl hilft mir.A nice guy helps me.	Kein Kerl ist hier sicher.No guy is safe here.
Akkusativ	Ich sehe den großen Kerl dort.I see the big guy there.	Sie kennt einen lustigen Kerl.She knows a funny guy.	Er mag keinen Kerl in der Gruppe.He doesn't like any guy in the group.
Dativ	Ich helfe dem alten Kerl gern.I gladly help the old guy.	Sie spricht mit einem jungen Kerl.She speaks with a young guy.	Er vertraut keinem Kerl mehr.He no longer trusts any guy.
Genitiv	Das Auto des Kerls ist schnell.The guy's car is fast.	Die Meinung eines Kerls ist wichtig.The opinion of a guy is important.	Der Name keines Kerls ist bekannt.The name of no guy is known.
Nominativ	Die jungen Kerle spielen Fußball.The young guys play soccer.	Einige Kerle warten draußen.Some guys are waiting outside.	Keine Kerle sind hier willkommen.No guys are welcome here.
Akkusativ	Wir kennen die netten Kerle gut.We know the nice guys well.	Ich treffe viele interessante Kerle.I meet many interesting guys.	Sie sieht keine Kerle im Raum.She doesn't see any guys in the room.
Dativ	Wir geben den Kerlen ein Geschenk.We give the guys a gift.	Sie arbeitet mit vielen Kerlen.She works with many guys.	Ich glaube keinen Kerlen diese Geschichte.I don't believe any guys this story.
Genitiv	Die Stimmen der Kerle sind laut.The voices of the guys are loud.	Die Geschichten vieler Kerle sind lustig.The stories of many guys are funny.	Der Ruf keiner Kerle ist gut.The reputation of no guys is good.

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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 Kerl?

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

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

What does der Kerl mean in English?

The German word der Kerl translates to “fellow, bloke” in English.

How do you decline der Kerl?

Like all German nouns, Kerl changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:

Nominativ: der Kerl
Akkusativ: den Kerl
Dativ: dem Kerl
Genitiv: des Kerls

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.