Definite articles in German are “der,” “die,” and “das,” used to specify a particular noun. They change form based on gender, case, and number.
Definite articles in German point to a specific noun (like “the” in English). Unlike English, German has three main definite articles—der, die, and das—that match the noun’s gender (masculine, feminine, neuter). They also change depending on the noun’s case (nominative, accusative, dative, genitive) and number (singular or plural).
- “der” = masculine singular (nominative)
- “die” = feminine singular (nominative) and all plurals (nominative & accusative)
- “das” = neuter singular (nominative)
Declension Tables
Here are the full declension tables for definite articles. The example nouns are:
- der Mann (the man) — masculine
- die Frau (the woman) — feminine
- das Kind (the child) — neuter
- die Kinder (the children) — plural
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der Mann | die Frau | das Kind | die Kinder |
| Accusative | den Mann | die Frau | das Kind | die Kinder |
| Dative | dem Mann | der Frau | dem Kind | den Kindern |
| Genitive | des Mannes | der Frau | des Kindes | der Kinder |
Usage Examples
Here are some example sentences showing how the articles work in context:
| Case | Example (Masculine) | Example (Feminine) | Example (Neuter) | Example (Plural) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | Der Mann liest. | Die Frau liest. | Das Kind liest. | Die Kinder lesen. |
| Accusative | Ich sehe den Mann. | Ich sehe die Frau. | Ich sehe das Kind. | Ich sehe die Kinder. |
| Dative | Ich gebe dem Mann ein Buch. | Ich gebe der Frau ein Buch. | Ich gebe dem Kind ein Buch. | Ich gebe den Kindern Bücher. |
| Genitive | Das Auto des Mannes. | Das Auto der Frau. | Das Spiel des Kindes. | Die Spielsachen der Kinder. |
Das Auto ___ Mannes ist rot. (des/der/dem)
The man's car is red.
The genitive case shows possession; masculine singular uses "des" and adds "-es" to the noun "Mann" (Mannes).
Ich gebe ___ Kind ein Spielzeug. (dem/der/des)
I give the child a toy.
The dative case is used for the indirect object "Kind" (neuter singular), so the article is "dem."
Tips for Learners
- Learn the singular nominative forms first: der (m), die (f), das (n).
- Remember plural definite article is always die (nominative and accusative).
- Use the genitive to show possession (similar to “of the…”) — note the added “-es” or “-s” on masculine/neuter nouns.
- Practice with example nouns you already know to build confidence.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
