der
Kroate
🌍 What exactly is a 'Kroate'?
The word der Kroate refers to a male person who comes from Croatia or holds Croatian citizenship.
It is a nationality designation. The feminine form is die Kroatin (the Croat woman/female Croat).
Example: My neighbor is ein Kroate (a Croat).
🚨 Attention: As a noun, "Kroate" is capitalized, unlike the adjective "kroatisch" (Croatian), e.g., die kroatische Küste (the Croatian coast).
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 Spotlight: 'Der Kroate' in Detail
Der Kroate is a masculine noun belonging to the so-called n-declension (also known as weak masculine nouns). This means it takes the ending -n in all cases except the nominative singular.
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Kroate |
| Genitive | des | Kroaten |
| Dative | dem | Kroaten |
| Accusative | den | Kroaten |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Kroaten |
| Genitive | der | Kroaten |
| Dative | den | Kroaten |
| Accusative | die | Kroaten |
📝 Example Sentences
- Der Kroate spricht mehrere Sprachen. (The Croat speaks several languages. - Nominative Singular)
- Das Auto des Kroaten ist neu. (The Croat's car is new. - Genitive Singular)
- Ich habe dem Kroaten geholfen. (I helped the Croat. - Dative Singular)
- Kennst du den Kroaten dort drüben? (Do you know the Croat over there? - Accusative Singular)
- Viele Kroaten leben in Deutschland. (Many Croats live in Germany. - Nominative Plural)
🗣️ How 'der Kroate' is Used
The term der Kroate is used to refer to a male person from Croatia. It is neutral and factual.
- In everyday life: Talking about friends, colleagues, or acquaintances: "Mein Arbeitskollege ist Kroate." (My colleague is Croatian/a Croat.)
- In news/reports: When reporting on events in Croatia or about Croatian personalities.
- In the plural: When talking about the population group: "Die Kroaten sind bekannt für ihre Gastfreundschaft." (The Croats are known for their hospitality.)
Distinction:
🧠 Mnemonics to Help Remember
Article Mnemonic: Many masculine nationalities ending in -e are masculine ('der') and follow the n-declension, just like der Kroate (also think of: der Franzose (Frenchman), der Pole (Pole), der Grieche (Greek)). Imagine a man (der) from Croatia wearing a cravat (sounds a bit like Kroate).
Meaning Mnemonic: Think of the country Croatia – a Kroate comes from there. Visualize the Croatian flag 🇭🇷 when you hear the word.
🔄 Similar and Opposing Terms
Synonyms (Alternatives)
- Essentially, there are no direct synonyms for nationality designations. One could paraphrase:
- Mann aus Kroatien (Man from Croatia)
- kroatischer Staatsbürger (Croatian citizen)
Antonyms (Opposites)
- Nicht-Kroate (Non-Croat)
- Ausländer (Foreigner - from a Croatian perspective)
- Other nationalities (e.g., der Serbe - the Serb, der Slowene - the Slovene, der Österreicher - the Austrian)
⚠️ Similar Words (Potential Confusion!)
😄 A Little Joke
Fragt ein Deutscher einen Kroaten: "Stimmt es, dass ihr Kroaten auf jede Frage mit einer Gegenfrage antwortet?"
Antwortet der Kroate: "Wer hat dir das erzählt?"
(Translation: A German asks a Croat: "Is it true that you Croats answer every question with another question?"
The Croat replies: "Who told you that?")
📜 A Short Poem
Ein Kroate, stolz und froh,
Liebt sein Land, das ist halt so.
Von Zagreb bis zur Adria,
Ist seine Heimat wunderbar.
Mit Schachbrettmuster, rot und weiß,
Zeigt er Flagge, leis und heiß.
(Translation: A Croat, proud and happy, / Loves his country, that's just how it is. / From Zagreb to the Adriatic Sea, / His homeland is wonderful. / With checkerboard pattern, red and white, / He shows his colours, quietly and hotly.)
❓ Riddle Time
Ich komm' aus einem Land am Mittelmeer,
Mit tausend Inseln, das freut mich sehr.
Meine Sprache klingt dem Serbischen verwandt,
Und meine Heimat ist als Urlaubsland bekannt.
Bin ich ein Mann von dort, wie nennt man mich dann?
(Translation: I come from a country on the Mediterranean Sea, / With a thousand islands, that makes me very happy. / My language sounds related to Serbian, / And my homeland is known as a holiday destination. / If I am a man from there, what am I called then?)
(Solution: der Kroate)
💡 Other Interesting Facts
Word Origin: The word "Kroate" derives directly from the country name "Kroatien" (Croatian: Hrvatska).
Cultural Context: Croatia is a country in Southeastern Europe with a rich history and culture. There are famous Croatian personalities in many fields such as sports (e.g., Luka Modrić in football), science (e.g., Nikola Tesla, although often also claimed as Serbian), and art.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Kroate?
The word 'Kroate' is masculine and refers to a male person from Croatia. The correct article is der Kroate.