der
Traktor
🚜 What exactly is a Traktor?
Der Traktor (plural: die Traktoren) is the German word for tractor. It refers to a powerful motor vehicle equipped with large, heavily treaded tires, designed primarily for pulling farm machinery and other implements.
While mostly used in Landwirtschaft (agriculture) and Forstwirtschaft (forestry), you also see them in Gartenbau (horticulture), municipal services (Kommunaltechnik), or on construction sites (Baustellen) for heavy-duty tasks and towing.
Key characteristics include large rear wheels and smaller front wheels, high torque (pulling power) at low speeds, and various attachment points for tools like ploughs (Pflug), mowers (Mähwerk), or hitches (Anhängerkupplung).
The word originates from the Latin trahere, meaning "to pull".
Article rules for der, die, and das
-or → almost always masculine.
Devices → mostly masculine.
Caution: das Gerät
🧐 Grammar: Der Traktor in Detail
The noun „Traktor“ is masculine. The correct article is der.
Declension Singular
Here is the declension in the singular form:
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Traktor |
| Genitive | des | Traktors |
| Dative | dem | Traktor |
| Accusative | den | Traktor |
Declension Plural
Here is the declension in the plural form (die Traktoren):
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Traktoren |
| Genitive | der | Traktoren |
| Dative | den | Traktoren |
| Accusative | die | Traktoren |
💡 Example Sentences
- Der Bauer fährt mit dem Traktor aufs Feld.
(The farmer drives the tractor into the field.) - Die Leistung des Traktors ist beeindruckend.
(The tractor's performance is impressive.) - Wir haben gestern den neuen Traktor abgeholt.
(We picked up the new tractor yesterday.) - Auf der Messe wurden viele verschiedene Traktoren ausgestellt.
(Many different tractors were exhibited at the fair.)
🔧 How to Use "Traktor"
The term der Traktor is the standard German word for a tractor. It's used both in technical contexts (Landwirtschaft, Technik) and in everyday language (Alltagssprache).
- Agriculture (Landwirtschaft): Pflügen (ploughing), säen (sowing), ernten (harvesting), transporting goods (e.g., hay bales, manure).
- Forestry (Forstwirtschaft): Skidding logs (Holzrücken), transporting logs.
- Municipal Services (Kommunaltechnik): Winter services (Winterdienst, e.g., snow ploughing), mowing roadsides.
- Construction (Bauwesen): Pulling trailers, minor earthmoving tasks.
Colloquially, the synonyms Schlepper or Trecker (especially in Northern Germany) are often used.
🧠 Memory Aids
Article Mnemonic: Think of typically masculine concepts associated with a tractor: der starke Motor (the strong engine), der große Reifen (the big tire), der Mann (the man, the farmer) driving it – these are masculine, just like der Traktor.
Meaning Mnemonic: The word "Traktor" sounds very similar to the English "tractor" and shares the Latin root trahere (to pull). It's literally a "pulling machine".
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms (Similar Meaning):
- Der Schlepper: (Tug/Hauler) A very common synonym, often used in technical contexts.
- Die Zugmaschine: (Towing machine) A general term, can also refer to truck tractors, but often used synonymously with Traktor.
- Der Trecker: Common synonym, especially popular in Northern Germany.
- Der Bulldog: Older, colloquial term, derived from the Lanz Bulldog brand.
- Ackerschlepper: (Field hauler) Specifically refers to tractors used in fields.
Antonyms (Opposite Meaning):
- Direct antonyms don't really exist. However, you could contrast the concept:
- Handarbeit: (Manual labor) Work done without machines.
- Tierzug: (Animal traction) Work done using draft animals (like horses or oxen) instead of machines.
Risk of Confusion:
- No significant risk of confusion, as the word is quite specific.
😂 A Little Joke
Warum nimmt der Bauer einen roten Traktor zum Erdbeerpflücken mit?
(Why does the farmer take a red tractor to pick strawberries?)
Damit er besser zu den Erdbeeren passt!
(So it matches the strawberries better!)
📜 Poem about the Tractor
Der Traktor, stark und groß,
(The tractor, strong and large,)
fährt übers Feld, erbarmungslos.
(drives over the field, relentlessly.)
Er zieht den Pflug durch schwere Erd',
(It pulls the plough through heavy earth,)
ist auf dem Hof viel wert.
(is worth a lot on the farm.)
Mit Dieselkraft und lautem Klang,
(With diesel power and loud sound,)
macht er die Arbeit, stundenlang.
(it does the work, for hours on end.)
❓ Riddle
Ich habe große Räder hinten, kleine vorn,
(I have big wheels at the back, small ones at the front,)
ziehe schwere Lasten ohne Zorn.
(pull heavy loads without anger.)
Auf Feld und Acker bin ich der Held,
(In field and acre, I am the hero,)
dem Bauern lieb und wohlbestellt.
(dear to the farmer and well-appointed.)
Wer bin ich? / Who am I?
Lösung / Answer: Der Traktor / The Tractor
💡 Other Interesting Facts
- Word Origin: The word „Traktor“ comes from the Latin verb trahere, meaning „to pull“. So it literally means a „pulling machine“.
- Development: The first tractors were developed in the late 19th century and gradually replaced draft animals in agriculture.
- Brands: Famous tractor brands include Fendt, John Deere, Claas, Deutz-Fahr, Massey Ferguson, among others.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Traktor?
The German word "Traktor" is masculine. The correct article is der. The plural is "die Traktoren".