Why does the noun Kiefer 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 Kiefer

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Kieferein Kieferkein Kiefer
Akkusativden Kiefereinen Kieferkeinen Kiefer
Dativdem Kiefereinem Kieferkeinem Kiefer
Genitivdes Kieferseines Kieferskeines Kiefers

Examples in context

Real sentences using Kiefer in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der neue Kiefer ist stark.The new jaw is strong.
Ein alter Kiefer ist oft groß.An old jaw is often big.
Kein guter Kiefer ist schwach.No good jaw is weak.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe den großen Kiefer.I see the big jaw.
Er hat einen starken Kiefer.He has a strong jaw.
Sie mag keinen schwachen Kiefer.She doesn't like a weak jaw.
Dativ
Ich gebe dem alten Kiefer Wasser.I give the old jaw water.
Mit einem neuen Kiefer geht das.That works with a new jaw.
Ich spreche mit keinem schwachen Kiefer.I speak with no weak jaw.
Genitiv
Die Farbe des neuen Kiefers ist hell.The color of the new jaw is light.
Der Preis eines alten Kiefers ist hoch.The price of an old jaw is high.
Der Wert keines guten Kiefers ist gering.The value of no good jaw is low.

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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 Kiefer?

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

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

What does der Kiefer mean in English?

The German word der Kiefer translates to “jaw” in English.

How do you decline der Kiefer?

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

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.