der
Eigner
📖 What does "der Eigner" mean?
The German word der Eigner refers to a male person (or a legal entity treated as grammatically masculine) who legally owns something; the proprietor or owner. It emphasizes the legal ownership relationship more strongly than the word "Besitzer" (possessor), which tends to describe actual custody.
- Legal Owner: The person to whom an item (e.g., a house - das Haus, a ship - das Schiff, a company - das Unternehmen) legally belongs.
- Gender: The word is masculine (der Eigner). The female form is "die Eignerin".
🚨 Caution: Do not confuse with "Besitzer"! A tenant (Mieter) is the Besitzer of an apartment, but the landlord (Vermieter) is the Eigner.
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.
-ner → almost always masculine.
Compare with the category '-er'.
-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 in Detail: Der Eigner
The noun "Eigner" is masculine and follows the weak n-declension in the plural (adding '-n' in plural dative).
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | der | Eigner |
| Genitive (Possessive) | des | Eigners |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | dem | Eigner |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | den | Eigner |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Eigner |
| Genitive | der | Eigner |
| Dative | den | Eignern |
| Accusative | die | Eigner |
📝 Example Sentences
- Der Eigner des Schiffes muss für die Wartung aufkommen.
(The owner of the ship must pay for the maintenance.) - Die Polizei befragte den Eigner des gestohlenen Fahrzeugs.
(The police questioned the owner of the stolen vehicle.) - Wir verhandelten direkt mit dem Eigner des Unternehmens.
(We negotiated directly with the owner of the company.) - Die Namen aller Eigner sind im Grundbuch verzeichnet.
(The names of all owners are recorded in the land register.)
🗣️ How to use "Eigner"?
"Eigner" is mostly used in more formal or specific contexts, especially when legal ownership needs emphasis. It often sounds a bit more elevated or technical than "Besitzer" or "Eigentümer".
- Context: Law (Recht), business (Wirtschaft), seafaring (Seefahrt), real estate (Immobilien).
- Typical Collocations: Schiffseigner (ship owner), Hauseigner (house owner), Firmeneigner (company owner), Fahrzeugeigner (vehicle owner).
- Difference from "Besitzer": The Besitzer has actual control over an item (e.g., the driver of a borrowed car), whereas the Eigner is the legal owner (e.g., the person the car is registered to).
- Difference from "Eigentümer": "Eigentümer" is a more general and common term for the legal owner. "Eigner" is often used more specifically, e.g., for ships or sometimes companies, but can often be used synonymously with "Eigentümer", although "Eigner" tends to sound more personal.
🧠 Mnemonics for "Eigner"
Article Mnemonic: Der Eigner - the '-er' ending often indicates masculine nouns in German, especially for people. Think: Der man is der Eigner.
Meaning Mnemonic: An Eigner is his OWN master over his property. The German word for 'own' is "eigen", which is hidden inside Eigner!
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning):
- Eigentümer: Very similar, often interchangeable, but "Eigentümer" is the more general and common term for the legal owner.
- Besitzer: Caution: Only partially synonymous! Denotes the possessor, the one with actual control, not necessarily the legal owner.
- Inhaber: Can be synonymous depending on context (e.g., Inhaber eines Geschäfts - owner of a business), but also used more broadly (e.g., Inhaber eines Amtes - holder of an office).
- Herr (über etwas): More colloquial, emphasizes the power of disposal. (Lord/Master over something).
Antonyms (Opposites):
- Mieter: Tenant; person who uses something for payment without being the owner.
- Pächter: Lessee/Tenant, often for land or businesses.
- Schuldner: Debtor; person who owes an obligation to the owner (creditor), e.g., for a loan on the property.
- Nutzer: User; general term for someone using something without being the owner.
⚠️ Beware of Confusion: Don't mix up with "eignen" (verb: to be suitable) or adjectives like "eigen" (own).
😄 A Little Joke
Richter: "Sind Sie der Eigner des gestohlenen Schmucks?"
Angeklagter: "Nein, Herr Richter, nur der Zwischen-Eigner!"
Judge: "Are you the owner of the stolen jewelry?"
Defendant: "No, Your Honor, just the interim owner!"
📜 Poem about the Owner
Der Eigner stolz sein Schiff betrachtet,
Das über weite Meere frachtet.
Sein ist das Ruder, sein der Mast,
Er trägt die Freud', er trägt die Last.
Dem Eigner wohl das Herz aufgeht,
Wenn seine Flagge im Winde weht.
The owner proudly views his ship,
That freights across the oceans wide.
His is the rudder, his the mast,
He bears the joy, he bears the cast (burden).
The owner's heart surely lifts,
When his flag flutters in the drifts (wind).
🧩 Riddle
Ich bin der Herr, mir gehört das Gut,
Ob Haus, ob Schiff, ob Unternehmensmut.
Im Recht verankert ist mein Stand,
Wer bin ich, wohlbekannt im Land?
I am the master, the goods belong to me,
Whether house, or ship, or company's decree.
My status is anchored in the law,
Who am I, well-known without a flaw?
Solution: Der Eigner (The Owner)
ℹ️ More Information
- Word Origin: The word "Eigner" derives from the verb "eignen", which originally meant "to make one's own, to possess". The suffix "-er" forms an agent noun (denoting a person performing an action).
- Feminine Form: Die Eignerin
- Related Words: Eigentum (property, possession), eignen (to be suitable; related to owning), zueignen (to dedicate, to appropriate), enteignen (to expropriate).
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Eigner?
The word "Eigner" is masculine. The correct article is der Eigner. It refers to the male (or grammatically male) legal owner of something.