der
Kläger
⚖️ What does 'der Kläger' mean?
Der Kläger refers to a male person or a legal entity (e.g., a company) who makes a claim or files a lawsuit against another party (den Beklagten - the defendant) in court. So, the Kläger is the one initiating the legal proceedings.
The feminine form is die Klägerin.
In legal terminology, it's the party that sues in a civil lawsuit (Zivilprozess).
⚠️ Don't confuse it with the Angeklagter, who is the person accused in a criminal trial (Strafprozess).
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 Kläger
The noun 'Kläger' is masculine and follows the weak n-declension (schwache N-Deklination). This means it takes an -(e)n ending in all cases except the nominative singular.
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Kläger |
| Genitive | des | Klägern |
| Dative | dem | Klägern |
| Accusative | den | Klägern |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Kläger |
| Genitive | der | Kläger |
| Dative | den | Klägern |
| Accusative | die | Kläger |
Example Sentences
- Der Kläger fordert Schadensersatz. (The plaintiff demands damages.)
- Die Argumente des Klägers waren überzeugend. (The plaintiff's arguments were convincing.)
- Das Gericht gab dem Kläger Recht. (The court ruled in favor of the plaintiff.)
- Man hörte den Kläger und den Beklagten an. (They heard the plaintiff and the defendant.)
- Die Kläger legten Berufung ein. (The plaintiffs filed an appeal.)
🗣️ How to use 'Kläger' correctly
The term 'Kläger' is used almost exclusively in a legal context (rechtlicher Kontext), especially in civil law (Zivilrecht).
- Civil proceedings (Zivilprozess): The person or entity filing a lawsuit, e.g., to claim damages (Schadensersatz), enforce a contract (Vertragserfüllung), or seek an injunction (Unterlassung).
- Administrative proceedings (Verwaltungsprozess): A plaintiff can also exist here, challenging a decision made by a public authority (Behörde).
Distinction from other terms:
- Beklagter/Verteidiger: The opposing party in a civil lawsuit (the defendant).
- Angeklagter: The person accused in a criminal trial (Strafprozess). The 'plaintiff' in a criminal trial is usually the public prosecutor (Staatsanwaltschaft) or, in some cases, a private accessory prosecutor (Nebenkläger).
- Antragsteller: A more general term for someone submitting an application (Antrag) (e.g., to an authority), but sometimes used synonymously with Kläger regarding court applications.
🧠 Mnemonics for 'der Kläger'
Article/Gender Mnemonic: Think of legal roles: Der Mann, der Richter (judge), der Anwalt (lawyer), der Kläger. Many are grammatically masculine in German. Picture a man bringing the complaint.
Meaning Mnemonic: A Kläger makes a claim or complains. The German verb 'klagen' means 'to complain' or 'to sue'. The sound 'Klag-' is central to the meaning.
↔️ Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning):
- Antragsteller: Applicant/Petitioner - Often used for applications to courts or authorities.
- Beschwerdeführer: Complainant/Appellant - Someone filing a formal complaint, often also in court.
- Klagende Partei: Claiming party/Suing party - A more formal description.
- Berufungskläger: Appellant - A plaintiff who appeals a judgment.
Antonyms (Opposite Meaning):
- Beklagter: Defendant - The party being sued in a civil case.
- Antragsgegner: Respondent (to an application) - The opposing party to an Antragsteller.
- Beschwerdegegner: Respondent (to a complaint) - The opposing party to a Beschwerdeführer.
- Angeklagter: Accused/Defendant - The person accused in a criminal trial (different context!).
Similar but potentially misleading words:
- Ankläger: Prosecutor - Usually the public prosecutor's office in a criminal trial.
😄 A little joke
Fragt der Richter den Kläger: "Warum wollen Sie sich scheiden lassen?"
Kläger: "Meine Frau redet und redet..."
Richter: "Und worüber redet sie?"
Kläger: "Das sagt sie nicht!"
Translation:
The judge asks the plaintiff: "Why do you want a divorce?"
Plaintiff: "My wife talks and talks..."
Judge: "And what does she talk about?"
Plaintiff: "She doesn't say!"
📜 Poem about the Plaintiff
Vor Schranken steht der Kläger heut,
mit Papieren, wohl vorbereut'.
Er fordert Recht, er klagt es ein,
hofft, das Urteil wird für ihn sein.
Der Richter hört, wägt Wort und Sinn,
wo liegt die Schuld, wo der Gewinn?
Der Kläger harrt, mit bangem Blick,
auf des Prozesses nächstes Stück.
Translation:
Before the bar, the plaintiff stands today,
With papers, well-prepared they say.
He demands justice, stakes his claim,
Hoping the verdict favors his name.
The judge listens, weighs words and sense,
Where lies the fault, where the recompense?
The plaintiff waits, with anxious gaze,
For the next turn in the trial's maze.
🧩 Who am I? A Riddle
Ich trete vor Gericht,
doch bin kein Angeklagter.
Ich erhebe meine Stimme und meine Schrift,
fordere, was mir zusteht, bin ein Macher.
Mein Gegenüber ist der Beklagte dann.
Wer bin ich?
Translation:
I appear in court,
but I am not the accused.
I raise my voice and my writing,
demanding what is due to me, I am a doer.
My counterpart is then the defendant.
Who am I?
Solution: Der Kläger (The Plaintiff)
💡 Other Information
Word Family (Wortfamilie):
- klagen (verb): to complain; to sue
- die Klage (noun): the complaint; the lawsuit
- die Klägerin (noun): female plaintiff
- kläglich (adjective): miserable, pitiful (often no longer has a direct legal meaning)
N-Declension: N-declension nouns (N-Deklination) are often masculine nouns referring to living beings (e.g., der Junge - the boy, der Kunde - the customer, der Experte - the expert, der Kläger - the plaintiff). They are a special feature of German grammar that learners need to memorize.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Kläger?
The noun 'Kläger' is masculine. The correct article is der: der Kläger. The feminine form is 'die Klägerin', and the plural is 'die Kläger'. It follows the n-declension.