Why does the noun Schreiber 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 Schreiber

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Schreiberein Schreiberkein Schreiber
Akkusativden Schreibereinen Schreiberkeinen Schreiber
Dativdem Schreibereinem Schreiberkeinem Schreiber
Genitivdes Schreiberseines Schreiberskeines Schreibers

Examples in context

Real sentences using Schreiber in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der junge Schreiber ist talentiert.The young writer is talented.
Ein guter Schreiber arbeitet hier.A good writer works here.
Kein Schreiber schreibt so schnell.No writer writes so fast.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe den alten Schreiber dort.I see the old writer there.
Sie sucht einen guten Schreiber.She is looking for a good writer.
Er kennt keinen Schreiber persönlich.He knows no writer personally.
Dativ
Ich helfe dem jungen Schreiber gern.I gladly help the young writer.
Er spricht mit einem Schreiber oft.He often speaks with a writer.
Sie vertraut keinem Schreiber mehr.She trusts no writer anymore.
Genitiv
Das Buch des berühmten Schreibers ist neu.The book of the famous writer is new.
Die Idee eines Schreibers ist wichtig.The idea of a writer is important.
Der Stil keines Schreibers ist perfekt.The style of no writer is perfect.

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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 Schreiber?

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

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

What does der Schreiber mean in English?

The German word der Schreiber translates to “writer, clerk” in English.

How do you decline der Schreiber?

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

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.