der  Premier

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/pʁeˈmiːɐ̯/

📜 What does "der Premier" mean?

The word der Premier (pronounced [pʁəˈmi̯eː]) is a masculine noun in German and primarily has two meanings:

• Head of Government: Often used synonymously with Premierminister (Prime Minister), it refers to the head of government or chief minister of a country or region (especially in countries with a parliamentary system, e.g., France, historically also in German federal states).
• Leading Figure/Principal Dancer: Less commonly, it can also refer to a leading male figure in a field or the principal male performer (especially in ballet as "Premier danseur").

⚠️ Caution: In German, the terms Premierminister or Ministerpräsident are more frequently used when referring to the political officeholder. "Premier" alone can sound slightly more general or be specific to certain countries (like France).

Article rules for der, die, and das

📐 Grammar in Detail: Der Premier

The noun "Premier" is masculine and takes the article "der". Here is its declension:

Declension (Singular)

Declension (Plural)

💡 Example Sentences

1. Der französische Premier besuchte Berlin. (The French Premier visited Berlin.)
2. Die Politik des Premiers wurde heftig diskutiert. (The Premier's policies were heavily discussed.)
3. Man überreichte dem Premier ein Gastgeschenk. (They presented a guest gift to the Premier.)
4. Die Journalisten befragten den Premier. (The journalists interviewed the Premier.)
5. Mehrere europäische Premiers trafen sich zum Gipfel. (Several European Premiers met for the summit.)

🗣️ How to use "der Premier"?

The usage of "der Premier" depends on the context:

• Politics: Often used in news and political discussions to refer to the head of government of specific countries (e.g., France, Canada, sometimes historically for German federal states). It's a slightly more formal or specific alternative to Premierminister or Ministerpräsident. Example: "Der Premier kündigte neue Reformen an." (The Premier announced new reforms.)
• Culture/Theatre: In this context, the meaning "principal performer" or "leading male role" (especially "Premier danseur" in ballet) is less common but possible. Example: "Er war der gefeierte Premier des Abends." (He was the celebrated leading man of the evening.)

Comparison:

• Premierminister: The most common term for the head of government in many parliamentary systems (e.g., UK, often used synonymously with Premier).
• Ministerpräsident: The term for the head of government of a German federal state (Bundesland) or some other countries.
• Kanzler/Bundeskanzler: The specific title for the head of government in Germany and Austria.

"Premier" is shorter and can sound more international, but it's used less generally for heads of government in German compared to Premierminister.

🧠 Mnemonics for "der Premier"

1. For the article "der":

   Imagine an important man (masculine -> der) who is in the premier position, the first place. He leads, like a king or president. The leader is masculine: der Premier.

2. For the meaning (Head of Government/First):

   The word comes from French "premier," meaning "first." Der Premier is the first person in the government (Head of Government) or the first dancer ("Premier danseur"). Think of a movie "premiere" (the first showing) – der Premier is the "first fiddle," the most important person.

↔️ Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Similar but confusing words:

• Premiere (die): The first performance or showing of a play, film, etc. (feminine noun!)
• Prämie (die): A premium, bonus, subsidy, insurance contribution.

😄 A Little Joke

Ein Journalist fragt den Premier: "Herr Premier, was halten Sie von der aktuellen politischen Lage?"
Antwortet der Premier: "Ich halte ... Abstand!" 😉

Translation:
A journalist asks the Premier: "Mr. Premier, what do you make of [literally: hold of] the current political situation?"
The Premier replies: "I keep... my distance!" 😉 (It's a pun on "halten von" - to think of/make of - and "Abstand halten" - to keep distance).

✒️ Poem about the Premier

Der Premier, ein Mann von Rang,
Führt das Land, mal kurz, mal lang.
Mit Reden, Plänen, viel Geschick,
Lenkt er der Nation Geschick.
Mal geliebt, mal kritisiert,
Sein Amt wird selten ignoriert.
Der Premier, stets im Fokus klar,
So ist es Jahr für Jahr.

Translation:
The Premier, a man of rank,
Leads the country, sometimes short, sometimes lank [long].
With speeches, plans, and lots of skill,
He steers the nation's fate and will.
Sometimes loved, sometimes criticized,
His office is rarely unrecognized.
The Premier, always clearly in focus,
So it is, year after year, no hocus-pocus.

❓ Little Riddle

Ich steh' an erster Stell' im Staat,
Hab oft den wichtigsten Rat.
Mein Titel klingt französisch fein,
Wer könnt' ich wohl nur sein?

Translation:
I stand in the first place in the state,
Often holding the most important weight [advice].
My title sounds elegantly French,
Who could I possibly be, hence?

Solution: Der Premier (The Premier)

✨ Trivia

Word Origin: The word "Premier" comes directly from French, where premier (masculine) or première (feminine) means "first". This reflects the meaning as the highest-ranking person (head of government) or the first performance (Premiere).

Usage in Germany: While the term Ministerpräsident is common for the leaders of the German federal states (Bundesländer), historically they were sometimes also referred to as "Premier", especially in the period before or shortly after the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany.