Why does the noun Roller 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 Roller

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Rollerein Rollerkein Roller
Akkusativden Rollereinen Rollerkeinen Roller
Dativdem Rollereinem Rollerkeinem Roller
Genitivdes Rollerseines Rollerskeines Rollers

Examples in context

Real sentences using Roller in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der neue Roller ist schnell.The new scooter is fast.
Ein schöner Roller steht hier.A beautiful scooter stands here.
Kein alter Roller fährt gut.No old scooter drives well.
Akkusativ
Ich kaufe den neuen Roller.I buy the new scooter.
Er hat einen schönen Roller.He has a beautiful scooter.
Sie braucht keinen alten Roller.She doesn't need an old scooter.
Dativ
Ich fahre mit dem neuen Roller.I ride with the new scooter.
Er gibt einem schönen Roller Gas.He gives a beautiful scooter gas.
Sie hilft keinem alten Roller mehr.She doesn't help any old scooter anymore.
Genitiv
Die Farbe des neuen Rollers ist blau.The color of the new scooter is blue.
Der Preis eines schönen Rollers ist hoch.The price of a beautiful scooter is high.
Der Wert keines alten Rollers ist gering.The value of no old scooter is low.

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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 Roller?

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

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

What does der Roller mean in English?

The German word der Roller translates to “scooter” in English.

How do you decline der Roller?

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

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.