der
König
👑 What does 'der König' mean?
The German word der König primarily refers to two things:
- A male monarch: The highest ruler of a kingdom (e.g., König Charles III.). The female equivalent is die Königin (the queen).
- A chess piece: The most important piece in the game of chess, whose threat (Schach - check) or capture (Schachmatt - checkmate) is the objective of the game.
It is a masculine noun and therefore always uses the article der.
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.
🧐 Grammar in Detail: Declension of 'der König'
"König" is a masculine noun. Here is its declension:
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Who/What?) | der | König |
| Genitive (Whose?) | des | Königs |
| Dative (To/For whom?) | dem | König |
| Accusative (Whom/What?) | den | König |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Könige |
| Genitive | der | Könige |
| Dative | den | Königen |
| Accusative | die | Könige |
Example Sentences
- Der König lebt im Schloss. (The king lives in the castle.)
- Die Macht des Königs war groß. (The king's power was great.)
- Das Volk jubelte dem König zu. (The people cheered for the king.)
- Im Schach ist der König die wichtigste Figur. (In chess, the king is the most important piece.)
- Die Könige trafen sich zur Konferenz. (The kings met for the conference.)
💡 How to use 'König'?
Contexts:
- Historical/Political: When discussing monarchies, rulers, or history (e.g., der Sonnenkönig Ludwig XIV. - the Sun King Louis XIV).
- Chess: Referring to the board game (e.g., Pass auf deinen König auf! - Watch out for your king!).
- Figurative: To describe someone or something as the best or most important in a field (e.g., Er ist der ungekrönte König des Rock'n'Roll. - *He is the uncrowned king of rock 'n' roll.*, Der Löwe ist der König der Tiere. - *The lion is the king of the animals.*).
- Playing Cards: A specific card rank (e.g., Ich habe den Herzkönig. - I have the King of Hearts.).
⚠️ Don't confuse "König" with "Kaiser" (emperor), who traditionally held a higher rank than a king (e.g., in the Holy Roman Empire).
🧠 Mnemonics to Remember
Article: Remember: The ruler on the throne is typically male – der König. Think of "Der Dude reigns" - the 'D' links to der.
Meaning: Imagine a chess King (König) who always wears a crown (looks a bit like the umlaut 'ö' in König) and is the 'key' (starts with K) piece.
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for König
Synonyms (Similar Meaning):
Similar Words (Caution!):
- Kündig: Adjective meaning 'knowledgeable' or related to giving notice (termination).
- Honig: Honey (sounds vaguely similar).
😄 A Royal Joke
Fragt der Finanzminister den König: "Majestät, wie schaffen wir es nur, mit dem Budget auszukommen?"
Sagt der König: "Ganz einfach! Wir streichen alle unnötigen Ausgaben. Zum Beispiel Ihr Gehalt!"
Translation:
The finance minister asks the king: "Your Majesty, how will we ever manage to stay within the budget?"
The king replies: "Quite simple! We'll cut all unnecessary expenses. For example, your salary!"
📜 A Poem about the King
Der König sitzt auf hohem Thron,
trägt eine schwere, goldne Kron'.
Er herrscht mit Weisheit und mit Macht,
hat stets das Wohl des Lands bedacht.
Doch auch im Schach, da kennt man ihn,
ist er bedroht, muss man schnell zieh'n!
Translation:
The king sits on a high throne,
wears a heavy, golden crown.
He rules with wisdom and with might,
always considered the country's well-being right.
But also in chess, he is known there,
if he's threatened, one must move fast with care!
❓ A Little Riddle
Ich trage eine Krone, doch bin kein Baum,
herrsche über ein Reich, oft nur ein Traum.
Im Schachspiel bin ich das höchste Ziel,
beweg mich langsam, doch gefalle vielen.
Wer bin ich?
(I wear a crown, but am not a tree,
I rule over a realm, often just a dream for me.
In chess, I am the ultimate goal,
I move slowly, but appeal to many a soul.
Who am I?)
Solution: Der König (The King)
🧩 Other Information
Word Composition & Origin:
The word "König" comes from the Old High German word "kuning". It is related to the word for "kin" or "clan" (Old High German "kunni") and originally meant something like "son of noble birth" or "man from a distinguished family". It shares roots with the English word "king".
Trivia:
- The "Erlkönig" (Elf King or Alder King) in Goethe's famous ballad is a mythical figure, not an actual monarch.
- "Königsklasse" (king's class) is often used to describe the top category in sports (e.g., Formula 1).
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das König?
The word "König" is always masculine. The correct form is: der König (Nominative Singular), des Königs (Genitive Singular), dem König (Dative Singular), den König (Accusative Singular), die Könige (Nominative/Accusative Plural).