Why does the noun Kugelschreiber 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 Kugelschreiber

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Kugelschreiberein Kugelschreiber—
Akkusativden Kugelschreibereinen Kugelschreiber—
Dativdem Kugelschreibereinem Kugelschreiber—
Genitivdes Kugelschreiberseines Kugelschreibers—

Examples in context

Real sentences using Kugelschreiber in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
—
Akkusativ
—
Dativ
—
Genitiv
—

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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 Kugelschreiber?

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

The noun Kugelschreiber is typically used in the singular form (Singularetantum) or has a plural form identical to the singular.

What does der Kugelschreiber mean in English?

The German word der Kugelschreiber translates to “ballpoint pen” in English.

How do you decline der Kugelschreiber?

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

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.