der
Iraner
🌍 What does 'der Iraner' mean?
The term der Iraner refers to a male person who comes from Iran or holds Iranian citizenship.
It's a nationality designation. The female form is die Iranerin (the Iranian woman).
⚠️ Important: Older or historically used terms like “Perser” (Persian) might sometimes be used synonymously, but strictly speaking, they refer to a specific ethnicity or historical Persia and are not always identical to the modern citizenship of Iran.
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 of 'der Iraner' in Detail
Der Iraner is a masculine noun. It belongs to the so-called n-Deklination (weak declension). This means it takes the ending -n in all cases except the nominative singular.
Singular
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Iraner |
| Genitive | des | Iranern |
| Dative | dem | Iranern |
| Accusative | den | Iranern |
Plural
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Iraner |
| Genitive | der | Iraner |
| Dative | den | Iranern |
| Accusative | die | Iraner |
Example Sentences
- Der junge Iraner studiert in Berlin. (The young Iranian is studying in Berlin.)
- Ich habe mit dem Iranern über seine Heimat gesprochen. (I spoke with the Iranian about his homeland.)
- Die Kultur der Iraner ist sehr vielfältig. (The culture of the Iranians is very diverse.)
- Kennst du den Iranern, der neu in der Firma ist? (Do you know the Iranian who is new to the company?)
🗣️ How to use 'Iraner'?
The term der Iraner is used to refer to a male person from Iran. It is neutral and the most common designation.
- Context: Mostly used in connection with origin, nationality, culture, or travel.
- Formal/Informal: Applicable in both contexts.
- Distinction: As mentioned, “Perser” (Persian) is more specific and often refers to ethnic affiliation or historical contexts. “Iraner” is the modern and broader term for citizens of Iran.
- Adjective: The corresponding adjective is iranisch (e.g., die iranische Küche - the Iranian cuisine, der iranische Film - the Iranian film).
🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids
Remembering the Article: Think of 'dER Mann' (the man). Since 'Iraner' refers to a male person and ends in '-er' (like many masculine professions or origins in German), the article is 'der'.
Remembering the Meaning: The word contains the country name 'Iran'. An Iraner is simply someone from Iran. Easy!
🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms
- Perser: (More historically/ethnically specific, not always synonymous) Often refers to the Persian ethnicity or historical Persia.
Antonyms
Similar Terms
😄 A Little Joke
Fragt ein Tourist einen Iraner: "Sprechen Sie Deutsch?"
Antwortet der Iraner: "Ein bisschen. Aber mein Teppich spricht fließend!" 😉
Translation:
A tourist asks an Iranian: "Do you speak German?"
The Iranian replies: "A little bit. But my carpet speaks fluently!" 😉
📜 Poem about the Iranian
Ein Iraner, stolz und weit gereist,
zeigt uns Kultur, die uns begeistert.
Von Teheran bis Isfahan,
zieht Geschichte ihre Bahn.
Mit Gastfreundschaft, warm und echt,
wird jedes Treffen zum Geflecht
aus alten Mythen, neuem Sinn,
so lebt es sich im Hier und Drin.
Translation:
An Iranian, proud and well-traveled,
shows us culture that inspires us.
From Tehran to Isfahan,
history runs its course.
With hospitality, warm and real,
every meeting becomes an interweaving
of old myths, new meaning,
that's how life is lived here and within.
🧩 Who am I? A Riddle
Ich komme aus dem Land der Dichter und Basare,
meine Heimat liegt, wo Safran blüht, das Kostbare.
Meine Sprache klingt vielleicht wie Musik in deinem Ohr,
aus Teheran, Schiras oder Yazd trete ich hervor.
Bin ich ein Mann aus diesem Staat,
mit reicher Kultur und alter Saat?
Lösung (Solution): Der Iraner
Translation:
I come from the land of poets and bazaars,
my homeland lies where saffron blooms, the precious.
My language might sound like music to your ear,
from Tehran, Shiraz, or Yazd I appear.
Am I a man from this state,
with rich culture and ancient seed?
Answer: The Iranian (man)
💡 Other Information
- Origin of the Word: Derived from the country name Iran.
- Cultural Note: Iranian culture is one of the oldest in the world and has significantly influenced many fields such as art, literature, architecture, and science.
- N-Declension: Pay attention to the peculiarity of the n-declension with this masculine noun! This is a common source of errors for German learners. Remember the -n ending in Genitive, Dative, and Accusative singular (e.g., dem Iranern, den Iranern).
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Iraner?
The word 'Iraner' refers to a male person from Iran. It is a masculine noun, so the correct article is der. It follows the n-declension (e.g., dem Iranern).