der
Milliardär
💰 What does 'der Milliardär' mean?
The German noun der Milliardär refers to a male person whose fortune amounts to at least one billion (1,000,000,000) units of a currency (e.g., Euros, Dollars).
It is a masculine noun and takes the article der.
The feminine form is die Milliardärin.
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 Deep Dive: Der Milliardär
Der Milliardär is a masculine noun belonging to the weak N-declension. This means it adds the ending -en in all cases except for the nominative singular.
Declension Table: Singular
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | ein | Milliardär |
| Genitive | des | eines | Milliardären |
| Dative | dem | einem | Milliardären |
| Accusative | den | einen | Milliardären |
Declension Table: Plural
| Case | Definite Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Milliardäre |
| Genitive | der | Milliardäre |
| Dative | den | Milliardären |
| Accusative | die | Milliardäre |
🚨 Attention: A common mistake is forgetting the N-declension, e.g., saying "Ich sehe den Milliardär" instead of the correct "Ich sehe den Milliardären".
Example Sentences
- Der neue Milliardär spendete einen großen Teil seines Vermögens. (The new billionaire donated a large part of his fortune.)
- Das Interview mit dem Milliardären wurde weltweit ausgestrahlt. (The interview with the billionaire was broadcast worldwide.)
- Viele träumen davon, eines Tages ein Milliardär zu sein. (Many dream of being a billionaire one day.)
- Die Liste der reichsten Milliardäre wird jedes Jahr veröffentlicht. (The list of the richest billionaires is published every year.)
💬 How is 'Milliardär' used?
The term Milliardär is mainly used in the context of economics, finance, and society to describe extremely wealthy individuals.
- Context: News about the world's richest people, economic reports, discussions about wealth distribution.
- Comparison: A Millionär (millionaire) has at least one million, while a Milliardär has at least one billion. The difference is a factor of 1000.
- Tone: The word is neutral, but depending on the context, it can convey admiration, envy, or criticism.
🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids
Remembering the Article
Imagine: DER big money bag belongs to DER rich man. A Milliardär is typically a man, so use der.
Remembering the Meaning
A Milliarde (billion) has an ärgerlich (annoyingly) large number of zeros! Someone with that much money is a Milliardär.
↔️ Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning)
- Superreicher: (Super-rich person) Emphasizes extreme wealth.
- Tycoon / Magnat: Often used for influential entrepreneurs in specific industries (e.g., Ölmagnat - oil magnate).
- Krösus: An old-fashioned, literary term for a fabulously rich man (after King Croesus).
- Finanzmogul: (Financial mogul) Emphasizes influence in the financial sector.
😂 A Little Joke
Warum spielen Milliardäre nie Verstecken?
(Why do billionaires never play hide-and-seek?)
Weil gutes Personal schwer zu finden ist – und sie es sich leisten können, es einfach zu fragen, wo die anderen sind!
(Because good staff is hard to find – and they can afford to just ask them where the others are!) 😉
📜 A Poem about Wealth
Der Milliardär, ein Mann von Rang,
(The billionaire, a man of rank,)
sein Kontoauszug ist ellenlang.
(his bank statement is immensely long.)
Neun Nullen zieren die Milliarde,
(Nine zeros adorn the billion,)
er lebt auf höchster Lebensgrade.
(he lives at the highest standard.)
Doch Geld allein, das weiß man ja,
(But money alone, as everyone knows,)
macht nicht glücklich, trallala?
(doesn't bring happiness, tra-la-la?)
❓ Riddle Time
Ich habe mehr Geld, als man zählen kann,
(I have more money than can be counted,)
besitze Firmen, hier und nebenan.
(own companies, here and nearby.)
Eine Milliarde ist mein Minimum,
(A billion is my minimum,)
sag, wer bin ich, sei nicht dumm!
(tell me, who am I, don't be dumb!)
Solution: Der Milliardär (The billionaire)
💡 More Interesting Facts
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Milliardär?
The word 'Milliardär' is masculine. The correct article is der. So you say: der Milliardär.