der
Premierminister
🏛️ What does "der Premierminister" mean?
Der Premierminister is the German word for the Prime Minister, the head of government or chief minister in many countries with a parliamentary system (e.g., the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia). He is usually the leader of the government and often the leader of the majority party in parliament.
It is a masculine noun, so the article is der.
The feminine form is die Premierministerin.
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 in Detail: Der Premierminister
The noun "Premierminister" is masculine and follows the weak N-declension (schwache N-Deklination). This means it adds an "-n" ending in all cases except the nominative singular.
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Premierminister |
| Genitive | des | Premierministern |
| Dative | dem | Premierministern |
| Accusative | den | Premierministern |
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Premierminister |
| Genitive | der | Premierminister |
| Dative | den | Premierministern |
| Accusative | die | Premierminister |
Example Sentences
- Der Premierminister hält heute eine wichtige Rede. (The Prime Minister is giving an important speech today. - Nominative Singular)
- Die Entscheidungen des Premierministers werden oft diskutiert. (The decisions of the Prime Minister are often discussed. - Genitive Singular)
- Man überreichte dem Premierminister ein Geschenk. (They presented a gift to the Prime Minister. - Dative Singular)
- Die Journalisten befragten den Premierminister. (The journalists interviewed the Prime Minister. - Accusative Singular)
- Die Premierminister der G7-Staaten trafen sich zum Gipfel. (The Prime Ministers of the G7 countries met for the summit. - Nominative Plural)
- Er sprach mit den Premierministern über die aktuelle Lage. (He spoke with the Prime Ministers about the current situation. - Dative Plural)
🌐 Usage in Context
The term Premierminister is primarily used in political contexts, especially in news reports, political discussions, and historical accounts concerning countries with this system of government.
- Political Reporting: "Der britische Premierminister reist nach Brüssel." (The British Prime Minister travels to Brussels.)
- Comparison with other Offices: In Germany and Austria, the role of the head of government corresponds more closely to the Bundeskanzler or Kanzler (Chancellor). In some German federal states (Bundesländer), the head of the state government is called Ministerpräsident, which is sometimes used synonymously with Prime Minister but usually refers to the state level.
- Distinction: A Minister is a member of the cabinet heading a specific department (e.g., Außenminister - Foreign Minister, Finanzminister - Finance Minister), while the Premierminister leads the entire cabinet. A Präsident (President) is often the head of state, whose role (ceremonial or executive) differs from that of the head of government, depending on the country's constitution.
💡 Memory Aids for Premierminister
Article Aid (der): Think of a Minister often being a 'Mister' (a man, masculine). The Premierminister is the first 'Mister' in the cabinet – so it's der Premierminister.
Meaning Aid: Think of "Premier" like a movie premiere – it's the first and most important showing. The Premierminister is the first, most important Minister of the government.
N-Declension Aid: Remember that many official male roles in German tend to use N-declension (der Herr, der Präsident, der Kunde...). The Premierminister fits this pattern and often gets an extra '-n'.
🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning)
- Regierungschef: General term for head of government (also fits Kanzler etc.).
- Ministerpräsident: Head of a state government in Germany; sometimes used for prime ministers of other countries, but less precise.
- Premier: Shortened, often more informal form.
Antonyms (Opposite Meaning)
- Oppositionsführer: Leader of the opposition (head of the largest party not in government).
- (Indirect): Staatschef/Präsident: Head of state, which can be a different role depending on the system.
- (Indirect): Untergebener Minister: A subordinate minister within the cabinet.
⚠️ Similar but Different Words
😄 A Little Joke
Fragt ein Journalist den Premierminister: "Herr Premierminister, was halten Sie von der aktuellen politischen Lage?" Antwortet der Premierminister: "Ich halte mich da raus. Ich bin ja schließlich der Leiter."
Translation: A journalist asks the Prime Minister: "Mr. Prime Minister, what do you make of the current political situation?" The Prime Minister replies: "I'm staying out of it. After all, I'm the leader." (The joke plays on "sich raushalten" - to stay out of something, and "Leiter" - leader/person in charge, implying he should be involved).
📜 A Short Poem
Der Premierminister, klug und schlau,
führt das Land, man schaut genau.
Mit Reden, Plänen, viel Geschick,
lenkt er der Politik Geschick.
Ob Lob, ob Tadel, er steht vorn,
im Amt geboren, früh am Morn'.
Translation:
The Prime Minister, clever and smart,
leads the country, observed with heart.
With speeches, plans, and skillful ways,
he guides the politics through the days.
Whether praised or blamed, he stands up front,
born to the office, from dawn's brunt.
🧩 A Little Riddle
Ich leite die Ministerriege,
sorge oft für politische Siege.
In London hab' ich meinen Sitz,
mein Titel ist kein schlechter Witz.
Bin nicht der Kanzler, nicht der Zar,
wer bin ich wohl? Ist doch klar!
Translation:
I lead the group of ministers,
often ensuring political winners.
In London, I have my seat,
my title is no mean feat.
I'm not the Chancellor, not the Tsar,
who am I then? It's clear by far!
Solution: Der Premierminister (The Prime Minister)
✨ More Information
Word Origin & Composition
The word "Premierminister" is a compound of:
- Premier: From French, meaning "first".
- Minister: From Latin "minister", meaning "servant", later official.
So, literally the "first servant" or "first official" of the government.
International Use
The title Premierminister is used in German to refer to the equivalent role in many countries influenced by the British Westminster system (e.g., UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India). In other countries, equivalent titles exist, such as Kanzler (Germany, Austria), Ministerpräsident (some countries, German federal states), Taoiseach (Ireland), etc.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Premierminister?
The noun "Premierminister" is masculine. The correct article is der. It refers to the head of government in certain political systems (Prime Minister) and follows the weak N-declension (e.g., des Premierministern).