Why does the noun Maler have the article der?
Default/male form of professions are masculine.
Examples
der Arzt (doctor), der Lehrer (teacher), der Koch (cook), der Polizist (policeman), der Ingenieur (engineer), der Anwalt (lawyer)
Declension table for German noun Maler
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Maler | ein Maler | kein Maler |
| Akkusativ | den Maler | einen Maler | keinen Maler |
| Dativ | dem Maler | einem Maler | keinem Maler |
| Genitiv | des Malers | eines Malers | keines Malers |
| Nominativ | die Maler | Maler | keine Maler |
| Akkusativ | die Maler | Maler | keine Maler |
| Dativ | den Malern | Malern | keinen Malern |
| Genitiv | der Maler | Maler | keiner Maler |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Maler in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Der junge Maler ist talentiert.The young painter is talented. | Ein guter Maler arbeitet hier.A good painter works here. | Kein schlechter Maler ist bekannt.No bad painter is known. |
| Akkusativ | Ich kenne den jungen Maler.I know the young painter. | Sie sucht einen guten Maler.She is looking for a good painter. | Wir sehen keinen schlechten Maler.We don't see any bad painter. |
| Dativ | Ich helfe dem jungen Maler.I help the young painter. | Sie spricht mit einem guten Maler.She talks with a good painter. | Er gibt keinem schlechten Maler Geld.He gives no bad painter money. |
| Genitiv | Das Atelier des jungen Malers ist groß.The studio of the young painter is large. | Die Werke eines guten Malers sind teuer.The works of a good painter are expensive. | Der Stil keines schlechten Malers ist beliebt.The style of no bad painter is popular. |
| Nominativ | Die jungen Maler sind kreativ.The young painters are creative. | Gute Maler arbeiten oft.Good painters often work. | Keine schlechten Maler sind hier.No bad painters are here. |
| Akkusativ | Sie treffen die jungen Maler.They meet the young painters. | Ich sehe gute Maler.I see good painters. | Wir finden keine schlechten Maler.We find no bad painters. |
| Dativ | Ich gebe den jungen Malern Tipps.I give the young painters tips. | Sie arbeitet mit guten Malern.She works with good painters. | Wir helfen keinen schlechten Malern.We don't help any bad painters. |
| Genitiv | Die Bilder der jungen Maler sind schön.The paintings of the young painters are beautiful. | Die Ideen guter Maler sind gefragt.The ideas of good painters are in demand. | Die Kritik keiner schlechten Maler ist wichtig.The criticism of no bad painters is important. |
Frequently asked questions
Everything you might wonder about der, die, das — and the Der Artikel app.
Is it der, die, or das Maler?
It is der Maler. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Maler 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 Maler?
The German noun Maler is categorized as Upper-Intermediate (B2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of der Maler?
The plural form of der Maler is die Maler. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does der Maler mean in English?
The German word der Maler translates to “painter” in English.
How do you decline der Maler?
Like all German nouns, Maler changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: der Maler
- Akkusativ: den Maler
- Dativ: dem Maler
- Genitiv: des Malers
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.
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