Why does the noun Schalter 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 Schalter
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Schalter | ein Schalter | — |
| Akkusativ | den Schalter | einen Schalter | — |
| Dativ | dem Schalter | einem Schalter | — |
| Genitiv | des Schalters | eines Schalters | — |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Schalter in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | — | ||
| Akkusativ | — | ||
| Dativ | — | ||
| Genitiv | — |
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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 Schalter?
What is the plural of der Schalter?
What does der Schalter mean in English?
How do you decline der Schalter?
- Nominativ: der Schalter
- Akkusativ: den Schalter
- Dativ: dem Schalter
- Genitiv: des Schalters
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.