Why does the noun Wagner 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 Wagner

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Wagnerein Wagnerkein Wagner
Akkusativden Wagnereinen Wagnerkeinen Wagner
Dativdem Wagnereinem Wagnerkeinem Wagner
Genitivdes Wagnerseines Wagnerskeines Wagners

Examples in context

Real sentences using Wagner in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der alte Wagner kommt heute.The old Wagner comes today.
Ein junger Wagner arbeitet hier.A young Wagner works here.
Kein netter Wagner ist da.No nice Wagner is there.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe den alten Wagner oft.I often see the old Wagner.
Wir suchen einen guten Wagner.We are looking for a good Wagner.
Ich kenne keinen bösen Wagner.I don't know any bad Wagner.
Dativ
Ich helfe dem alten Wagner gern.I like to help the old Wagner.
Sie spricht mit einem jungen Wagner.She talks to a young Wagner.
Ich gebe keinem fremden Wagner Geld.I don't give money to any strange Wagner.
Genitiv
Das ist das Haus des alten Wagners.That is the house of the old Wagner.
Das ist die Arbeit eines jungen Wagners.That is the work of a young Wagner.
Ich kenne die Frau keines reichen Wagners.I don't know the wife of any rich Wagner.

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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 Wagner?

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

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

What does der Wagner mean in English?

The German word der Wagner translates to “wagonmaker, Wagner” in English.

How do you decline der Wagner?

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

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.