das  Leder

A2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈleːdɐ/

📖 What does "das Leder" mean?

Das Leder (noun, neuter) refers to animal hide or skin that has been tanned to make it durable. It's a versatile material used for clothing, shoes, furniture, accessories, and much more.

The article is always das. This is common for materials in German, which often take the neuter gender.

• Meaning: Leather (tanned animal skin).

🚨 Note: There's no confusion with other articles; Leder is always das.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar of "Leder" in Detail

Das Leder is a neuter noun. It's mostly used in the singular because it refers to a material (uncountable). The plural form die Leder is rare and typically refers to different types of leather.

Declension Singular

Declension Plural (rare)

Example Sentences

1. Diese Jacke ist aus echtem Leder gefertigt.
   (This jacket is made of real leather.)
2. Der Geruch von neuem Leder erfüllt den Raum.
   (The smell of new leather fills the room.)
3. Zur Pflege des Leders benötigt man spezielle Mittel.
   (Special products are needed for the care of the leather.)
4. Man unterscheidet viele verschiedene Leder (Arten von Leder).
   (One distinguishes between many different types of leather.)

💡 How to use "das Leder"?

Das Leder is used to describe the material itself. It's very common in contexts like:

• Clothing: Lederjacke (leather jacket), Lederhose (leather trousers), Lederhandschuhe (leather gloves)
• Shoes: Lederschuhe (leather shoes), Lederstiefel (leather boots)
• Furniture: Ledersofa (leather sofa), Ledersessel (leather armchair)
• Accessories: Ledergürtel (leather belt), Ledertasche (leather bag), Lederarmband (leather bracelet)
• Sports: Footballs used to be made of leather (often called das runde Leder - 'the round leather').

Idioms:

• Jemandem das Leder gerben: Literally 'to tan someone's hide', meaning to give someone a beating or a stern talking-to.
• Vom Leder ziehen: To rant, complain, or speak ill of someone.
• Hart wie Leder sein: To be tough as leather, very resilient.

Unlike Stoff (fabric) or Kunststoff (plastic), Leder specifically refers to the animal-derived material.

🧠 Mnemonics for "das Leder"

For the article: Many materials in German are neuter (das), like das Metall, das Holz, das Glas. Think: Materials are neu(tral) -> das Leder.

For the meaning: Imagine a tough biker who says, "I'd rather wear Leder!" ('rather' sounds a bit like the end of 'Leder').

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Be careful: Haut alone can also mean human skin. Leder specifically refers to processed animal hide.

😂 A Little Joke

Warum tragen Skelette keine Lederjacken?

Sie haben nicht den nötigen Body dafür! 😉

(Why don't skeletons wear leather jackets? They don't have the body for it! - A pun on 'body' meaning both physique and the main part of a jacket)

✍️ Poem about Leather

Das Leder, robust und fein,
Aus Tierhaut wird's, muss haltbar sein.
Jacke, Schuh und Tasche schick,
Ein starkes, edles Materialstück.
Man gerbt es, pflegt's mit Sorgfalt sehr,
Dann hält es gut, Jahr für Jahr.

(Leather, robust and fine,
From animal skin, must be durable design.
Jacket, shoe, and stylish bag,
A strong, noble material tag.
It's tanned and cared for very well,
Then lasts for years, the stories tell.)

❓ Riddle

Ich komme von Tieren, doch bin kein Fleisch,
Man macht aus mir Gürtel, Schuhe, und noch mehr gleich.
Ich bin robust, mal glatt, mal rau,
Was bin ich wohl? Denk mal genau!

(I come from animals, but am not meat,
They make belts and shoes from me, oh so neat.
I am sturdy, sometimes smooth, sometimes rough,
What am I? Think hard enough!)

Solution: Das Leder (Leather)

✨ More Tidbits

Compound Words (Komposita):

Leder is part of many German words:

• Lederjacke (leather jacket)
• Lederhose (leather pants/trousers, often associated with traditional Bavarian clothing)
• Lederschuh (leather shoe)
• Lederwaren (leather goods)
• Ledergürtel (leather belt)
• Wildleder (suede)
• Lackleder (patent leather)
• Kunstleder (artificial leather)

Trivia:

• The process of making leather is called Gerben (tanning).
• There are many different types of leather, named after the animal (Rindsleder - cowhide, Ziegenleder - goatskin, Schweinsleder - pigskin) or the processing method (Nubuk - nubuck, Velours - suede, Nappa - nappa).