der
Mitschüler
👨🎓 What does "der Mitschüler" mean?
Der Mitschüler refers to a male person who attends the same school, class, or course as the speaker. It's the male equivalent of die Mitschülerin (female classmate).
- Meaning: classmate, fellow student (male)
- Context: Primarily used in educational settings (school, university, training course). The prefix mit- signifies with or fellow.
🚨 Important: "Der Mitschüler" is specifically male. For a female person, you must use die Mitschülerin. For a group of classmates or a mixed group, you can use die Mitschüler (plural).
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 of Mitschüler in Detail
"Der Mitschüler" is a masculine noun. It belongs to the weak declension (N-Deklination). This means it takes the ending -en in all cases except the nominative singular.
Singular Declension
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | der Mitschüler | ein Mitschüler |
| Genitive (Possessive) | des Mitschüleren | eines Mitschüleren |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | dem Mitschüleren | einem Mitschüleren |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | den Mitschüleren | einen Mitschüleren |
Plural Declension
| Case | Definite Article | Indefinite Article |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die Mitschüler | Mitschüler |
| Genitive | der Mitschüler | Mitschüler |
| Dative | den Mitschülern | Mitschülern |
| Accusative | die Mitschüler | Mitschüler |
Example Sentences 📖
- Nominative: Der Mitschüler neben mir ist sehr nett. (The classmate next to me is very nice.)
- Genitive: Das ist das Buch des Mitschüleren. (That is the classmate's book.)
- Dative: Ich helfe dem Mitschüleren bei den Hausaufgaben. (I am helping the classmate with the homework.)
- Akkusativ: Hast du den neuen Mitschüleren schon kennengelernt? (Have you already met the new classmate?)
- Plural: Die Mitschüler planen eine Klassenreise. (The classmates are planning a class trip.)
🗣️ How to Use "Mitschüler"?
- Context: Primarily in educational settings (*Schule, Uni, Kurs*).
- Formality: Neutral. Can be used in both formal and informal conversations.
- Distinction from similar words:
- Klassenkamerad: Very similar, often used synonymously, perhaps emphasizes being in the same *class*.
- Kommilitone: Specifically used for fellow students at a *university* or college.
- Kollege: Refers to people in a *work* environment (colleague).
- Composition: The word is composed of "mit-" (with, together, fellow) and "Schüler" (pupil, student).
🧠 Mnemonics
Remembering the article: Der Mitschüler is a boy or man, so masculine -> der Mitschüler. (Think of der Junge - the boy, der Mann - the man).
Remembering the meaning: Someone who is a Schüler (student) mit (with) me -> Mitschüler (fellow student/classmate).
🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning)
- Der Klassenkamerad: (Classmate) Very similar, emphasizes class community.
- Der Kommilitone: (Fellow university student) Specific to higher education.
- Der Kursteilnehmer: (Course participant) More general.
- Der Schulgefährte: (Schoolmate) Slightly old-fashioned.
Antonyms/Contrasts (Opposite Meaning/Role)
- Der Lehrer / Die Lehrerin: (Teacher) They teach the Mitschüler.
- Der Professor / Die Professorin: (Professor) They teach at university (cf. Kommilitone).
- Der Schulleiter / Die Schulleiterin: (Headmaster/Principal) Head of the school.
😂 A Little Joke
German: Fragt der Lehrer: "Na, Peter, warum kommst du schon wieder zu spät?"
Peter: "Wegen eines Schildes."
Lehrer: "Was für ein Schild denn?"
Peter: "Das Schild 'Achtung, Schule! Fahren Sie langsam!'"
English Translation: The teacher asks: "Well, Peter, why are you late again?"
Peter: "Because of a sign."
Teacher: "What kind of sign?"
Peter: "The sign 'Caution, School! Drive slowly!'"
📜 Poem about Classmates
German:
Der Mitschüler, Tag für Tag,
Mit dem man lernt, was kommen mag.
Mal Freund, mal nur bekannt,
Gemeinsam im Schulland.
Man teilt das Pausenbrot,
Und übersteht die Not(en)-Not.
English Translation:
The classmate, day by day,
With whom one learns what may come your way.
Sometimes friend, sometimes just known,
Together in the school zone.
Sharing the lunch break bread,
And surviving grade-dread.
❓ Riddle
German:
Ich sitze neben dir im Raum,
erfülle manchen Lerntraum.
Ich bin kein Lehrer, das ist klar,
bin männlich und im selben Jahr (oft).
Wer bin ich?
English Translation:
I sit beside you in the room,
fulfilling many a learning dream.
I'm not a teacher, that is clear,
I'm male and in the same year (often).
Who am I?
Solution: Der Mitschüler (The male classmate)
💡 Other Information
- Word Formation: Prefix mit- (together, fellow) + Noun Schüler (student/pupil).
- Feminine Form: die Mitschülerin (plural: die Mitschülerinnen).
- Plural (Generic): The plural die Mitschüler can refer to a group of male students or a mixed-gender group. To explicitly refer to an all-female group, die Mitschülerinnen is used. Increasingly, for inclusivity, forms like "Mitschülerinnen und Mitschüler" or "Mitschüler:innen" are used in speech/writing.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Mitschüler?
The word "Mitschüler" is always masculine, so the correct article is der Mitschüler. It means a male classmate or fellow student and follows the weak N-declension (genitive/dative/accusative singular end in -en).