der
Kicker
⚽ What does "der Kicker" mean?
The German word der Kicker has several meanings:
- Soccer player: Often used colloquially for a soccer player (Fußballspieler), especially a forward or someone known for powerful shots. Example: Er ist ein talentierter Kicker. (He is a talented soccer player.)
- Foosball table / Table football: The game device where you use rotating figures on rods to move a small ball into the opponent's goal. Also called Tischkicker. Example: Lass uns eine Runde am Kicker spielen! (Let's play a round of foosball!)
- Sports magazine: The name of a very famous German sports magazine, mainly reporting on soccer (officially: "kicker"). Example: Hast du den neuesten Kicker schon gelesen? (Have you read the latest Kicker yet?)
🚨 Important: Although the magazine is often just called "Kicker", the article is "der" because it refers to "der Kicker" (the magazine).
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 in Detail: Der Kicker
"Kicker" is a masculine noun. It uses the article der. Here is the declension:
Singular Declension
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Kicker |
| Genitive | des | Kickers |
| Dative | dem | Kicker |
| Accusative | den | Kicker |
Plural Declension
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Kicker |
| Genitive | der | Kicker |
| Dative | den | Kickern |
| Accusative | die | Kicker |
Example Sentences ✍️
- As a soccer player: Der Kicker schoss das entscheidende Tor. (The player scored the decisive goal.)
- As foosball table: Wir haben uns gestern Abend an dem Kicker gemessen. (We competed at the foosball table last night.)
- As the magazine: Im neuesten Kicker steht ein Interview mit dem Bundestrainer. (In the latest Kicker, there's an interview with the national coach.)
- Plural (players): Die jungen Kicker trainieren jeden Dienstag. (The young players train every Tuesday.)
- Plural (tables): In der Spielhalle stehen mehrere Kicker. (There are several foosball tables in the arcade.)
💡 How to use "der Kicker"?
The usage strongly depends on the context:
- In a sports context: Usually refers to a Fußballspieler (soccer player). Can sound slightly informal or admiring ("ein echter Kicker" - a real pro/player).
- In a leisure context: Refers to the Tischfußball game or the device itself. Very common in youth centers, pubs, or offices.
- In a media context: Clearly refers to the sports magazine "kicker". You'd say "ich lese den Kicker" (I read the Kicker) or "im Kicker steht..." (in the Kicker it says...).
Comparison:
- Fußballspieler: "Der Kicker" is more colloquial than "der Fußballspieler". "Der Stürmer" (forward) is specific to a position.
- Tischfußball: "Der Kicker" and "der Tischkicker" are largely synonymous. "Tischfußball" refers more to the game itself rather than the table.
🧠 Mnemonics for "der Kicker"
For the article: Think of DER Mann (the man - soccer player), DER Tisch (the table - foosball table), or DER Artikel (the article - in the magazine). These are typically masculine associations or grammatically masculine in German, helping you remember "der Kicker".
For the meanings: Imagine a soccer player (meaning 1) who, after training, plays foosball (meaning 2) for fun while flipping through the Kicker magazine (meaning 3). One image, three meanings!
🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms
- For soccer player: Fußballspieler, Ballspieler, (coll.) Bolzer, Stürmer (forward, specific)
- For foosball table: Tischkicker, Tischfußballtisch
- For magazine: kicker Sportmagazin
Antonyms
Direct antonyms are difficult.
- For soccer player (forward): Verteidiger (defender), Torwart (goalkeeper) (different positions)
- For foosball table: perhaps other table games like Billardtisch (pool table), Airhockeytisch (air hockey table)?
Similar but different words ⚠️
😄 A Little Joke
Warum spielen Skelette nicht gerne am Kicker?
Weil sie keine Nerven haben! 😉
(Why don't skeletons like playing foosball? Because they don't have the nerve / any nerves!)
📜 A Poem about the Kicker
Der Kicker, schnell und voller Drang,
ob Spieler auf dem Feld, sein Klang,
ob Tisch mit Stangen, wild bewegt,
ob Zeitschrift, die den Sport anregt.
Er schießt den Ball, er dreht geschwind,
ein Name, der uns wohlbekannt und lind
Erinnerung an Spiel und Spaß
bringt – Tor! Und alle geben Gas!
(The Kicker, fast and full of drive,
whether player on the field, its sound alive,
whether table with rods, wildly moved,
whether magazine, by sport approved.)
(He shoots the ball, he turns so fast,
a name we know, a pleasant past
memory of games and fun it brings
– Goal! And everyone takes wings!)
❓ Riddle Time
Ich hab Stangen, doch bin kein Zelt,
ich hab Spieler, doch kein echtes Feld.
Man dreht mich wild im Spielerkreis,
mal heiß, mal kalt, mal laut, mal leis'.
Man liest mich auch, wenn Sport gefällt.
Was bin ich?
(I have rods, but am not a tent,
I have players, but no real field is lent.
People spin me wildly in a player's sphere,
sometimes hot, sometimes cold, sometimes loud, sometimes mere.
You also read me, when sports content is sent.)
(What am I?)
Solution: Der Kicker (as foosball table or magazine)
🧩 Other Information
- Word Origin: The word "Kicker" derives from the verb "kicken" (colloquial for playing soccer or kicking) plus the suffix "-er", which often denotes a person or device performing the action.
- The Magazine: The "kicker Sportmagazin" was founded in 1920 and is one of the highest-circulation sports magazines in Europe.
- Regional Variations: In some regions, the foosball table is also called "Wuzzler" (Austria) or "Töggelikasten" (Switzerland).
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Kicker?
The word "Kicker" is always masculine. It's der Kicker, whether you're referring to a soccer player, the foosball table, or the well-known sports magazine.