Why does the noun Treffer 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 Treffer

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Trefferein Trefferkein Treffer
Akkusativden Treffereinen Trefferkeinen Treffer
Dativdem Treffereinem Trefferkeinem Treffer
Genitivdes Trefferseines Trefferskeines Treffers

Examples in context

Real sentences using Treffer in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der neue Treffer war super.The new hit was great.
Ein guter Treffer ist wichtig.A good hit is important.
Kein schlechter Treffer ist leicht.No bad hit is easy.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe den neuen Treffer jetzt.I see the new hit now.
Wir erzielen einen guten Treffer.We score a good hit.
Ich sehe keinen schlechten Treffer.I don't see any bad hit.
Dativ
Ich gebe dem neuen Treffer Bedeutung.I give importance to the new hit.
Er gibt einem guten Treffer keine Chance.He gives a good hit no chance.
Ich gebe keinem schlechten Treffer Bedeutung.I give no bad hit importance.
Genitiv
Die Freude des neuen Treffers war groß.The joy of the new hit was great.
Die Wirkung eines guten Treffers ist stark.The effect of a good hit is strong.
Ich kenne die Ursache keines schlechten Treffers.I don't know the cause of any bad hit.

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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 Treffer?

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

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

What does der Treffer mean in English?

The German word der Treffer translates to “hit, goal” in English.

How do you decline der Treffer?

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

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.