er
he
The German personal pronoun for 'he', referring to masculine nouns. It changes form depending on case: 'er' (nominative), 'ihn' (accusative), 'ihm' (dative).
Heard in real German videos
Lines where er was actually spoken, from German videos watched with DeutschChat.
- Er musste früh aufbrechen.He had to leave early.
- Oh, müssen wir wirklich auf ihn warten?Oh, do we really have to wait for him?
Example sentences
- Er ist mein Bruder.He is my brother.
- Ich sehe ihn.I see him.
- Ich gebe ihm das Buch.I give him the book.
Grammar
| Nominative | er |
|---|---|
| Accusative | ihn |
| Dative | ihm |
| Genitive | seiner |
Use 'er' for masculine nouns, even if they are not people, e.g., 'der Tisch' → 'er'.
The mistake English speakers make
Using 'er' when the noun is feminine or neuter; always check the gender of the noun.
Don’t confuse it with
- ihr — 'Ihr' can mean 'her' (dative of 'sie') or 'you all' (nominative plural), while 'er' means 'he'.
Questions learners ask
When do I use 'er' vs 'ihn' vs 'ihm'?
Use 'er' as the subject (nominative), 'ihn' as the direct object (accusative), and 'ihm' as the indirect object (dative).
Can 'er' refer to things, not just people?
Yes, 'er' refers to any masculine noun, so 'der Tisch' (the table) becomes 'er'.