German articles are essential for indicating the gender, number, and case of nouns. Definite articles correspond to "the" in English, while indefinite articles correspond to "a/an."
| Type | Meaning | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Definite | The | der | die | das | die |
| Indefinite | A/An | ein | eine | ein | (none) |
- Definite Articles (der, die, das) specify something known or specific.
- Indefinite Articles (ein, eine) introduce something new or unspecific.
- Articles must match the noun's gender (Masculine, Feminine, Neuter) and number (singular/plural).
Definite articles are der (m), die (f), das (n).
Correct: ein Mann (m), eine Frau (f), ein Kind (n).
Source Material
Author: German Very Easy
Document: German Definite and Indefinite Articles
Date Published: 2024
Definite articles in German are der (masculine), die (feminine), das (neuter), and die (plural). They are used when referring to something specific or already known.
- Der for masculine nouns (e.g., der Mann - the man).
- Die for feminine nouns (e.g., die Frau - the woman).
- Das for neuter nouns (e.g., das Kind - the child).
- Die for all plural nouns (e.g., die Bücher - the books).
Definite articles are used for known or specific nouns.
Singular: der, die, das; Plural: die.
Indefinite articles are ein (masculine and neuter) and eine (feminine). There is no plural form for indefinite articles; instead, the noun becomes plural without an article or uses other determiners.
- Ein for masculine and neuter nouns (e.g., ein Mann - a man; ein Kind - a child).
- Eine for feminine nouns (e.g., eine Frau - a woman).
- Use them when introducing something for the first time or something unspecific.
Indefinite articles are ein (masc/neut) and eine (fem).
Correct pairs: ein Auto (neut), eine Lampe (fem), ein Pferd (neut).
German articles show the gender, number, and specificity of nouns.
- Definite: der (m), die (f), das (n), die (pl) — for "the"
- Indefinite: ein (m/n), eine (f) — for "a/an"
- Match the article to the noun’s gender and number for correct usage