Learn German - German Vocabulary

German Lessons - Articles / Artikel

Definite and Indefinite articles – Definit and Indefinit Artikel

Definite articles precede a noun

Indefinite articles (positive or negative*) indicate that a thing or person is not unique in some way

* In German you deny a noun with a negative article:

English: This is not (isn’t) a book.

German: Das ist kein Buch.

There are 3 Articles:

** Plural is the same for all 3 articles. Plural has several forms in German.

Note: all nouns in German are written with capital letters.

Examples masculine:

Der / Ein / Kein Mann, Vater, Direktor, Fußball, Tisch (singular)......ist.....

Die / - - / Keine Männer, Väter, Direktoren, Fußbälle, Tische (plural).....sind....

Note:  Fußball means soccer. ß is equivalent to double s – you get it by pressing ALT 225 in windows/word. Tisch means table. As you see plural can be formed in various ways.

Examples feminine:

Die / Eine /Keine Frau, Mutter, Direktorin, Lektion, Blume (singular)  ....ist.....

Die / --- / Keine Frauen, Mütter, Direktorinnen, Lektionen, Blumen (plural)...sind...

Note:  Frau means lady/ misses, Blume means flower

Examples neutral:

Das / Ein / Kein Kind, Bier / Museum / Hotel / Haus (singular)....ist.....

Die / --- / Keine Kinder, Biere, Museen, Hotels, Häuser (plural) ....sind.....

Note:  Kind means child, Bier beer, Haus house.