der
Abwehrspieler
🛡️ What Exactly is an Abwehrspieler?
Der Abwehrspieler is a term from sports, especially team sports like Fußball (football/soccer), Handball, or Eishockey (ice hockey). It refers to a player whose main task is to prevent attacks from the opposing team and defend their own goal.
It is a masculine noun. The feminine form is die Abwehrspielerin.
Sometimes the more general term Verteidiger (defender) is used synonymously.
Article rules for der, die, and das
Male characters → always masculine.
Caution: Most professions also have their feminine forms (e.g. die Polizistin). Some words can also have two forms: der/die Deutsche, der/die Kranke.
-er → mostly masculine.
1. Caution: many exceptions. 2. almost all -euer nouns are neutral. 3. There are many -er words, we don't list them all.
🧐 Grammar Spotlight: Der Abwehrspieler
The noun "Abwehrspieler" is masculine, so its article is der. It follows the strong declension pattern.
Declension Singular
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | der | Abwehrspieler |
| Genitive (Possessive) | des | Abwehrspielers |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | dem | Abwehrspieler |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | den | Abwehrspieler |
Declension Plural
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Abwehrspieler |
| Genitive | der | Abwehrspieler |
| Dative | den | Abwehrspielern |
| Accusative | die | Abwehrspieler |
💡 Examples in Sentences
- Der Abwehrspieler grätschte den Ball weg. (The defender tackled the ball away.)
- Die Taktik erforderte schnelle Abwehrspieler. (The tactic required fast defenders.)
- Dem Abwehrspieler gelang eine wichtige Rettungsaktion. (The defender managed an important save/clearance.)
- Der Trainer lobte den jungen Abwehrspieler. (The coach praised the young defender.)
⚽ When to Use "Abwehrspieler"?
The term "Abwehrspieler" is used almost exclusively in the context of team sports. It's very common in:
- Fußball ⚽ (Football / Soccer)
- Handball 🥅
- Eishockey 🏒 (Ice Hockey)
- Basketball 🏀 (though often called "Verteidiger" or "Defender" here too)
It describes a position and a role within the team. While "Verteidiger" is a slightly more general term, "Abwehrspieler" is often used more specifically for players with primarily defensive duties, usually positioned near their own goal.
It is rarely used in a figurative sense.
🧠 Mnemonics to Remember
Remembering the Article:
Think of "der Spieler" (the player) – the -er ending often indicates masculine nouns in German, especially for professions or roles. Der Abwehrspieler is 'the' man (or player) who defends.
Remembering the Meaning:
"Abwehr" means defense or repulsion. So, an Abwehrspieler is literally a "defense-player". He wehrt ab (fends off) attacks.
🔄 Similar and Opposite Terms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning):
- Verteidiger: Very common synonym, often interchangeable (defender).
- Defensivspieler: Emphasizes the defensive orientation (defensive player).
- Hintermann: Colloquial, refers to players in the back line (literally 'back man').
- (More specific depending on the sport): Libero, Vorstopper (stopper), Außenverteidiger (full-back/outside defender), Innenverteidiger (center-back/central defender)
Antonyms (Opposite Meaning):
- Stürmer: Player whose main task is attacking (striker, forward).
- Angreifer: General term for an offensive player (attacker).
- Offensivspieler: Emphasizes the offensive orientation (offensive player).
- (More specific depending on the sport): Mittelstürmer (center forward), Flügelstürmer (winger)
⚠️ Watch out for Confusion!
Don't confuse it with "Spieler" (player) in general, which refers to anyone participating in a game, regardless of their position.
😂 A Little Joke
German: Warum sind Abwehrspieler schlecht im Versteckspielen? – Weil sie immer hinten bleiben und leicht zu finden sind! 😉
English: Why are defenders bad at hide-and-seek? – Because they always stay at the back and are easy to find! 😉
📜 A Poem About the Abwehrspieler
German:
Der Ball fliegt schnell, der Sturm rollt an,
doch einer stellt sich mutig ran.
Der Abwehrspieler, fest und klar,
wehrt ab die drohende Gefahr.
Mit Grätsche, Kopf und vollem Lauf,
hält er den Gegner sicher auf.
Ein Fels in seiner Mannschaft' Reihen,
lässt keinen Stürmer leicht gedeihen.
English Translation:
The ball flies fast, the attack rolls on,
but one stands up bravely thereon.
The defender, firm and clear,
fends off the looming danger near.
With tackle, header, and full pace,
he stops the opponent in their space.
A rock within his team's own lines,
lets no attacker easily shine.
❓ Who Am I? A Riddle
German:
Ich steh' im Sport oft hinten drin,
hab' Tore verhindern im Sinn.
Den Stürmern mach' ich's meistens schwer,
die Gegner fürchten mich gar sehr.
Wer bin ich?
English:
In sports, I often stand behind,
Preventing goals is on my mind.
For strikers, I make life quite tough,
Opponents fear me, that's enough.
Who am I?
Solution: Der Abwehrspieler (The Defender)
🔍 Additional Details
Word Composition:
The word "Abwehrspieler" is a compound noun, made up of:
- die Abwehr: defense, resistance against an attack.
- der Spieler: player, person who plays (here: plays a sport).
Trivia:
Abwehrspieler often wear specific jersey numbers. In football/soccer, these traditionally include numbers like 2, 3, 4, or 5, although this is handled more flexibly today.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Abwehrspieler?
The word "Abwehrspieler" is masculine. The correct article is der. Therefore, it is: der Abwehrspieler.