A2Reviewed 2026-06-304 examples4 exercises4 checks

German definite article declension: der/die/das in all four cases

The complete der/die/das table across Nominativ, Akkusativ, Dativ and Genitiv (plus plural), and the three rules that let you reconstruct it from memory.

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  • Case government
  • Article agreement
  • Orthography
maskulinfemininneutralPlural
Nominativderdiedasdie
Akkusativdendiedasdie
Dativdemderdemden
Genitivdesderdesder
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The definite article (der/die/das) changes its form by gender and case. Here is the full table — the single most useful grid in German grammar:

case masculine neuter feminine plural
Nominativ (subject) der das die die
Akkusativ (direct object) den das die die
Dativ (indirect object) dem dem der den
Genitiv (possession) des des der der

You don't memorise sixteen cells — you remember three rules:

  1. Accusative: only the masculine changes, der → den. Neuter, feminine and plural keep their nominative form.
  2. Dative: the feminine becomes der and the plural becomes den — and in the dative plural the noun itself adds an -n (den Kindern).
  3. Genitive: masculine and neuter become des, and the noun adds -s/-es (des Mannes); feminine and plural become der.

Examples

Grammatical analysisBase form ichCaseNominativ (nominative)NumberSingular (singular)Person1st person singular (ich)Checked deterministically before build Grammatical analysisBase form sehenPerson1st person singular (ich)TensePräsens (present)Checked deterministically before build Grammatical analysisBase form derCaseAkkusativ (accusative)Gendermaskulin (masculine)NumberSingular (singular)Checked deterministically before build Grammatical analysisBase form MannCaseAkkusativ (accusative)Gendermaskulin (masculine)NumberSingular (singular)Checked deterministically before build.

I see the man. (accusative: der → den)

Grammatical analysisBase form ichCaseNominativ (nominative)NumberSingular (singular)Person1st person singular (ich)Checked deterministically before build helfe der Frau.

I help the woman. (dative: die → der)

Grammatical analysisBase form ichCaseNominativ (nominative)NumberSingular (singular)Person1st person singular (ich)Checked deterministically before build Grammatical analysisBase form dankenPerson1st person singular (ich)TensePräsens (present)Checked deterministically before build Grammatical analysisBase form derCaseDativ (dative)NumberPlural (plural)Checked deterministically before build Grammatical analysisBase form KindCaseDativ (dative)NumberPlural (plural)Checked deterministically before build.

I thank the children. (dative plural: die → den, noun +n)

Das Grammatical analysisBase form seinPerson3rd person singular (er/sie/es)TensePräsens (present)Checked deterministically before build das Auto Grammatical analysisBase form derCaseGenitiv (genitive)Gendermaskulin (masculine)NumberSingular (singular)Checked deterministically before build Grammatical analysisBase form MannCaseGenitiv (genitive)Gendermaskulin (masculine)NumberSingular (singular)Checked deterministically before build.

That is the man's car. (genitive: der → des, noun +es)

Common mistakes

Not quite: Ich helfe die Frau.Correct: Ich helfe der Frau.

helfen takes the dative, and in the dative the feminine article die becomes der.

Not quite: Ich fahre mit die Kinder.Correct: Ich fahre mit den Kindern.

mit takes the dative; in the dative plural die becomes den and the noun adds -n (Kinder → Kindern).

Related topics

Practice

  1. Ich sehe ___ Mann.

  2. Ich helfe ___ Frau.

  3. Das ist das Auto ___ Mannes.

  4. Ich danke ___ Kindern.

Next up

Next topicGerman Dative Case: dem, der, dem, den (+n) for the Indirect ObjectDrillDrill A2 wordsWriteWrite 3 sentences