Introduction
In German, the definite article ("the") changes based on the gender of the noun, the case it is in, and whether it is singular or plural. The three grammatical genders in German are masculine, feminine, and neuter. Additionally, nouns can be in one of four cases: nominative, accusative, dative, or genitive.
Definite Articles by Gender and Case
Nominative Case
The nominative case is used for the subject of a sentence.
- Masculine: der
- Feminine: die
- Neuter: das
- Plural: die
Accusative Case
The accusative case is used for the direct object of a sentence.
- Masculine: den
- Feminine: die
- Neuter: das
- Plural: die
Dative Case
The dative case is used for the indirect object of a sentence.
- Masculine: dem
- Feminine: der
- Neuter: dem
- Plural: den
Genitive Case
The genitive case is used to show possession or a relationship between nouns.
- Masculine: des
- Feminine: der
- Neuter: des
- Plural: der
Definite Articles by Gender and Case
| Case | Gender | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | Masculine | der | die |
| Feminine | die | die | |
| Neuter | das | die | |
| Accusative | Masculine | den | die |
| Feminine | die | die | |
| Neuter | das | die | |
| Dative | Masculine | dem | den |
| Feminine | der | den | |
| Neuter | dem | den | |
| Genitive | Masculine | des | der |
| Feminine | der | der | |
| Neuter | des | der |
Examples
Nominative
- Masculine: Der Mann ist hier. (The man is here.)
- Feminine: Die Frau ist glücklich. (The woman is happy.)
- Neuter: Das Kind spielt. (The child plays.)
- Plural: Die Bücher sind interessant. (The books are interesting.)
Accusative
- Masculine: Ich sehe den Hund. (I see the dog.)
- Feminine: Sie hat die Tasche. (She has the bag.)
- Neuter: Er liest das Buch. (He reads the book.)
- Plural: Wir kaufen die Äpfel. (We buy the apples.)
Dative
- Masculine: Ich gebe dem Mann das Buch. (I give the man the book.)
- Feminine: Sie hilft der Freundin. (She helps the friend.)
- Neuter: Er spricht mit dem Kind. (He speaks with the child.)
- Plural: Wir zeigen den Kindern das Spiel. (We show the children the game.)
Genitive
- Masculine: Das Auto des Vaters ist rot. (The father's car is red.)
- Feminine: Das Zimmer der Schwester ist klein. (The sister's room is small.)
- Neuter: Die Farbe des Hauses ist blau. (The color of the house is blue.)
- Plural: Die Bücher der Lehrer sind auf dem Tisch. (The teachers' books are on the table.)
Key Takeaways
- The definite article in German depends on the noun's gender, number, and case.
- Nominative: Used for the subject of the sentence.
- Accusative: Used for the direct object.
- Dative: Used for the indirect object.
- Genitive: Indicates possession or relationship.
By understanding and applying these rules, you can correctly use definite articles in German sentences.