Why does the noun Soldat 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 Soldat

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Soldatein Soldatkein Soldat
Akkusativden Soldateneinen Soldatenkeinen Soldaten
Dativdem Soldateneinem Soldatenkeinem Soldaten
Genitivdes Soldateneines Soldatenkeines Soldaten

Examples in context

Real sentences using Soldat in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der tapfere Soldat steht Wache.The brave soldier stands guard.
Ein junger Soldat grüßt den General.A young soldier salutes the general.
Kein verletzter Soldat wurde zurückgelassen.No injured soldier was left behind.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe den mutigen Soldaten.I see the courageous soldier.
Sie ehren einen gefallenen Soldaten.They honor a fallen soldier.
Er hat keinen einzigen Soldaten gesehen.He has not seen a single soldier.
Dativ
Wir helfen dem verwundeten Soldaten.We are helping the wounded soldier.
Sie gibt einem durstigen Soldaten Wasser.She gives water to a thirsty soldier.
Der Befehl galt keinem einfachen Soldaten.The order did not apply to any simple soldier.
Genitiv
Die Uniform des deutschen Soldaten ist grün.The uniform of the German soldier is green.
Das ist die Waffe eines unbekannten Soldaten.That is the weapon of an unknown soldier.
Der Einsatz keines mutigen Soldaten ist vergebens.The sacrifice of a brave soldier is never in vain.

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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 Soldat?

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

The German noun Soldat is categorized as Intermediate (B1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.

What is the plural of der Soldat?

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

What does der Soldat mean in English?

The German word der Soldat translates to “soldier” in English.

How do you decline der Soldat?

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

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.