Why does the noun Leser 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 Leser

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Leserein Leserkeinen Leser
Akkusativden Lesereinen Leserkeinen Leser
Dativdem Lesereinem Leserkeinem Leser
Genitivdes Leserseines Leserskeines Lesers

Examples in context

Real sentences using Leser in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der treue Leser wartet.The loyal reader waits.
Ein neuer Leser kommt heute.A new reader comes today.
Es gibt keinen einzigen Leser.There is no single reader.
Akkusativ
Ich kenne den alten Leser.I know the old reader.
Sie sucht einen guten Leser.She is looking for a good reader.
Er sieht keinen einzigen Leser.He sees no single reader.
Dativ
Ich helfe dem jungen Leser.I help the young reader.
Sie gibt einem neuen Leser ein Buch.She gives a new reader a book.
Er spricht mit keinem einzigen Leser.He speaks with no single reader.
Genitiv
Das Buch des jungen Lesers ist hier.The book of the young reader is here.
Die Meinung eines neuen Lesers ist wichtig.The opinion of a new reader is important.
Die Frage keines einzigen Lesers ist bekannt.The question of no single reader is known.

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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 Leser?

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

What CEFR level is the word Leser?

The German noun Leser is categorized as Intermediate (B1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.

What is the plural of der Leser?

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

What does der Leser mean in English?

The German word der Leser translates to “reader” in English.

How do you decline der Leser?

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

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.