Why does the noun Reiter 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 Reiter

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Reiterein Reiterkein Reiter
Akkusativden Reitereinen Reiterkeinen Reiter
Dativdem Reitereinem Reiterkeinem Reiter
Genitivdes Reiterseines Reiterskeines Reiters

Examples in context

Real sentences using Reiter in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der alte Reiter ist müde.The old rider is tired.
Ein junger Reiter kommt hierher.A young rider comes here.
Kein guter Reiter ist hier.No good rider is here.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe den alten Reiter.I see the old rider.
Ich treffe einen jungen Reiter.I meet a young rider.
Ich sehe keinen guten Reiter.I don't see any good rider.
Dativ
Ich helfe dem alten Reiter.I help the old rider.
Ich spreche mit einem jungen Reiter.I speak with a young rider.
Ich helfe keinem guten Reiter.I don't help any good rider.
Genitiv
Das Pferd des alten Reiters ist schnell.The horse of the old rider is fast.
Das Pferd eines jungen Reiters ist schnell.The horse of a young rider is fast.
Das Pferd keines guten Reiters ist hier.The horse of no good rider is here.

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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 Reiter?

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

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

What does der Reiter mean in English?

The German word der Reiter translates to “rider, horseman” in English.

How do you decline der Reiter?

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

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.