der / die  Erste

A2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈɛʁstə/

🥇 What does "der Erste" / "die Erste" mean?

The word "Erste" is the substantivized form (a word, usually an adjective, used as a noun) of the ordinal adjective "erst". It means 'the first one' (person or thing) in a sequence. The article (der or die) depends on the gender of the noun being referred to (even if it's not explicitly mentioned).

• der Erste: Refers to a male person or a masculine noun. Example: "Er war der Erste im Ziel." (He was the first one at the finish line. - referring to a man)
• die Erste: Refers to a female person or a feminine noun. Example: "Sie war die Erste, die geantwortet hat." (She was the first one who answered. - referring to a woman)

It expresses the position 1 in an order, ranking, or time sequence.

🧐 Grammar of "der/die Erste" in Detail

"Der Erste" and "die Erste" are substantivized adjectives and are declined according to the weak declension (following a definite article).

Declension "der Erste" (Masculine)

Declension "die Erste" (Feminine)

📝 Application Examples

1. Der Erste (Nom.): Der Erste, der ankommt, bekommt einen Preis. (The first one who arrives gets a prize.)
2. Des Ersten (Gen.): Das Auto des Ersten war rot. (The car of the first one was red.)
3. Dem Ersten (Dat.): Ich habe dem Ersten gratuliert. (I congratulated the first one.)
4. Den Ersten (Acc.): Wir haben den Ersten interviewt. (We interviewed the first one.)
5. Die Erste (Nom./Acc.): Die Erste in der Reihe war nervös. (The first one (fem.) in the line was nervous.) / Ich sehe die Erste nicht. (I don't see the first one (fem.).)
6. Der Ersten (Gen./Dat.): Die Tasche der Ersten ist blau. (The bag of the first one (fem.) is blue.) / Wir helfen der Ersten. (We are helping the first one (fem.).)

🚀 When to use "der/die Erste"?

"Der Erste" and "die Erste" are used to denote the foremost position or the earliest point in time concerning people or things.

• Order/Ranking: "Wer war der Erste in der Schlange?" (Who was the first one in the queue?), "Sie ist die Erste ihrer Klasse." (She is the first/top of her class.)
• Time Sequence: "Der Erste Weltkrieg begann 1914." (The First World War began in 1914. - Here used as an adjective, but the substantivized use is similar: "Der Erste, der sprach, war der Bürgermeister." - The first one who spoke was the mayor.)
• Uniqueness/Pioneering Achievement: "Er war der Erste auf dem Mond." (He was the first one on the moon.), "Sie war die Erste, die diesen Weg beschritt." (She was the first one who took this path.)

⚠️ Important: The gender of the article depends on the (often implicit) noun. "Der erste Mann" (the first man) becomes "der Erste". "Die erste Frau" (the first woman) becomes "die Erste". "Das erste Kind" (the first child) becomes "das Erste" (although "das Erste" is less commonly used standalone for people and often refers to "das erste Mal" - the first time - or a more specific thing).

🧠 Mnemonics for "Erste"

1. Article Mnemonic: Think of typical examples: Der Mann (the man) ist der Erste. Die Frau (the woman) ist die Erste. The article matches the natural gender.
2. Meaning Mnemonic: "Erste" sounds a bit like "earnest" in English. Someone who wants to be the Erste (first) often takes things very earnestly! Or, think of the number Eins (one) - der/die **E**rst**e** is number **Eins**.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

🚨 Potential for Confusion:

• Ernst: An adjective (serious) or a male first name. Sounds similar, but has a completely different meaning.

😂 A little joke

Lehrer: "Wer kann mir sagen, wer Amerika entdeckt hat?"
Fritzchen: "Ich weiß es, Herr Lehrer, aber Columbus war der Erste!"

Teacher: "Who can tell me who discovered America?"
Little Fritz: "I know, teacher, but Columbus was the first one!"

📜 Little Poem

Ob Mann, ob Frau, ob groß, ob klein,
jemand muss der Erste sein.
Der Erste startet, mutig, schnell,
Die Erste leuchtet, sternenklar und hell.
Am Start, im Ziel, im Lebenslauf,
der Erste nimmt den Vortritt auf.

Whether man or woman, big or small,
Someone must be the first of all.
The first man starts, brave and fast,
The first woman shines, bright light cast.
At the start, the finish, life's race run,
The first one takes precedence, number one.

🧩 Riddle

Ich stehe ganz vorn, ob er oder sie,
Nummer eins in der Hierarchie.
Im Rennen, im Rang, zu jeder Frist,
sag, wer oder was ich bin, wenn's männlich oder weiblich ist?

Lösung/Solution: Der Erste / Die Erste

I stand right at the front, whether 'he' or 'she',
Number one in the hierarchy.
In race, in rank, at any time you list,
Say who or what I am, if masculine or feminine I exist?

Solution: The first one (male) / The first one (female)

💡 Other Interesting Facts

• Word Origin: "Erste" derives from the cardinal number "eins" (one) and belongs to the ordinal numbers (erste, zweite, dritte... - first, second, third...).
• Substantivization: It's a classic example in German of substantivizing an adjective, where the adjective is treated like a noun, taking an article and being capitalized.
• Frequency: A very commonly used word in many contexts.