Lieferant is masculine in German — the correct article is der. The plural is die Lieferanten. In English, Lieferant means supplier or vendor. The female form is die Lieferantin (plural: die Lieferantinnen).Der Lieferant is a key word in business German vocabulary, used when talking about supply chains, ordering, or business relationships. It's typically learned at B1 level. Like der Kollege and der Kunde, it follows the N-Deklination — one of the trickiest declension patterns in German. Below you'll find the full declension, example sentences, and a quiz.
Gender rule: Masculine nouns ending in -ant that refer to people are always masculine and follow the N-Deklination (der Lieferant, der Praktikant, der Demonstrant). This means the noun adds -en in every case except the nominative singular. See all gender patterns in the Article Rules and a full overview at the German Articles.
Lieferant — Declension Table
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der Lieferant | die Lieferanten |
| Genitive | des Lieferanten | der Lieferanten |
| Dative | dem Lieferanten | den Lieferanten |
| Accusative | den Lieferanten | die Lieferanten |
Example Sentences with Lieferant
Der Lieferant bringt die Ware jeden Dienstag.
(The supplier delivers the goods every Tuesday.) — Nominative
Wir haben den Lieferanten nach einem Rabatt gefragt.
(We asked the supplier for a discount.) — Accusative
Die Firma hat dem Lieferanten den Auftrag erteilt.
(The company awarded the contract to the supplier.) — Dative
Die Zuverlässigkeit des Lieferanten ist entscheidend.
(The reliability of the supplier is crucial.) — Genitive
Die Lieferanten haben die Preise erhöht.
(The suppliers raised the prices.) — Nominative Plural
Mit den Lieferanten werden jedes Jahr neue Konditionen verhandelt.
(New terms are negotiated with the suppliers every year.) — Dative Plural
Related Words & Compounds
Word family (Wortfamilie): liefern (to deliver/supply — verb), die Lieferantin (female supplier), die Lieferung (delivery)
Common compounds (Komposita): der Hauptlieferant (main supplier), die Lieferantenrechnung (supplier invoice), die Lieferantenbewertung (supplier evaluation)
Common Mistake with Lieferant
❌ Common mistake: Die Qualität des Lieferantes ist gut.
✅ Correct: Die Qualität des Lieferanten ist gut.
💡 Why: "Lieferant" follows the N-Deklination. In the genitive, the correct form is des Lieferanten — not "des Lieferantes." Unlike regular masculine nouns, weak nouns never add -s or -es in the genitive. They always add -en. The same applies to other -ant nouns: des Praktikanten, des Demonstranten.
Quick Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
Can you get all three right? Apply what you've learned above.
1. Wir haben ___ Lieferant___ die neuen Bedingungen mitgeteilt.
- A) die Lieferanten
- B) der Lieferant
- C) dem Lieferanten
Check Answer
"Mitteilen" takes a dative object for the person (to whom?) and an accusative object for the thing. The person here is the supplier → dem Lieferanten. Because "Lieferant" follows the N-Deklination, the noun adds -en.
2. Der Chef hat ___ Lieferant___ gewechselt.
- A) dem Lieferanten
- B) der Lieferant
- C) den Lieferanten
Check Answer
"Wechseln" takes an accusative object (whom did he change?). Masculine accusative = den, and the N-Deklination adds -en: den Lieferanten.
3. Ein zuverlässig___ Lieferant ist für jedes Unternehmen wichtig.
- A) -es
- B) -en
- C) -er
Check Answer
After the indefinite article ein in the nominative masculine, the adjective ending is -er: ein zuverlässiger Lieferant. The adjective takes over the gender signal that ein doesn't show. Note: in the nominative, the noun itself stays unchanged — the N-Deklination only applies in accusative, dative, and genitive.
Want to practice more nouns like this? The Article Trainer has 600+ nouns to drill — including everyday vocabulary. Pick the article, get instant feedback, and stop guessing.
More Work & Business Nouns
- der Kunde — the customer
- die Investition — the investment
- der Gewinn — the profit
- die Frist — the deadline
- das Budget — the budget
- die Bewerbung — the application
- der Arbeitgeber — the employer
- der Chef — the boss
For more work-related vocabulary, explore the Business German vocabulary list or browse the full grammar overview.
Is it der, die, or das? Practice makes perfect.
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Practice German Articles →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lieferant masculine, feminine, or neuter in German?
Lieferant is masculine — the correct article is der. Masculine nouns ending in -ant that refer to people are always masculine and follow the N-Deklination (der Lieferant, der Praktikant, der Demonstrant). The female form is die Lieferantin (plural: die Lieferantinnen).
What is the plural of Lieferant?
The plural is die Lieferanten. This form looks identical to the accusative, dative, and genitive singular — only the article tells you whether it's singular or plural. Context usually makes it clear.
Why does Lieferant change to Lieferanten?
Because "Lieferant" follows the N-Deklination (weak declension). Masculine nouns ending in -ant that refer to people always follow this pattern — they add -en in every case except the nominative singular. Other examples: der Kollege → den Kollegen, der Kunde → den Kunden.
What is the difference between Lieferant and Lieferung?
Der Lieferant is the supplier — the person or company that provides goods. Die Lieferung is the delivery — the act of delivering goods or the goods themselves. For example: "Der Lieferant hat die Lieferung pünktlich gebracht" (The supplier brought the delivery on time).
