Why does the noun Pilot 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 Pilot

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Pilotein Pilotkein Pilot
Akkusativden Piloteneinen Pilotenkeinen Piloten
Dativdem Piloteneinem Pilotenkeinem Piloten
Genitivdes Piloteneines Pilotenkeines Piloten

Examples in context

Real sentences using Pilot in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der erfahrene Pilot fliegt hoch.The experienced pilot flies high.
Ein neuerer Pilot landet sicher.A new pilot lands safely.
Kein alterer Pilot ist müde.No old pilot is tired.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe den den Piloten am Flughafen.I see the pilot at the airport.
Sie sucht einen einen Piloten für den Flug.She is looking for a pilot for the flight.
Wir kennen keinen neuen Piloten hier.We don't know any new pilot here.
Dativ
Ich helfe dem dem Piloten gern.I like to help the pilot.
Sie spricht mit einem einem Piloten über den Flug.She talks to a pilot about the flight.
Ich vertraue keinem bekannten Piloten nicht.I do not distrust any known pilot.
Genitiv
Der Hut des des Piloten ist neu.The pilot's hat is new.
Die Uniform eines eines Piloten ist blau.A pilot's uniform is blue.
Die Lizenz keines jungen Piloten ist gültig.The license of no young pilot is valid.

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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 Pilot?

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

The German noun Pilot is categorized as Upper-Intermediate (B2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.

What is the plural of der Pilot?

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

What does der Pilot mean in English?

The German word der Pilot translates to “pilot” in English.

How do you decline der Pilot?

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

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.