So while there is no one-size-fits-all rule for using articles in German, with a little practice you’ll soon get a feel for when they’re needed. For example, with proper names and certain geographical terms, the article is not typically used.Īnd in some cases, such as with fractions or measurements, the article can be omitted entirely. However, there are some cases where the article is not used, even when the noun is definite. it has been previously mentioned or is easily identifiable) or when it is accompanied by a definite determiner (e.g. In general, the article is used when the noun is definite (i.e. In German, there is no hard and fast rule for whether articles (the, a, an) are used or not. You’ll learn this, plus everything you see in the video below (and then some!): If you want to get better at understanding German definite articles – and other key aspects of the language – the best way to do so is by taking German lessons. Just remember to pay attention to the gender of the noun, whether it is singular or plural, and which case it is in. With a little practice, using the definite articles in German will become second nature. For example, die Katze is in the nominative case, but if it was the subject of a sentence it would be in the accusative case (die Katze sieht die Maus – The cat sees the mouse). The article also changes depending on the case of the noun.For example, die Katze (the cat) becomes die Katzen (the cats). The article changes depending on whether the noun is singular or plural.Remember that der is used for masculine nouns, die for feminine nouns and das for neuter nouns.So what is a definite article in German? Let’s take a closer look: When you first start learning German, it can be difficult to remember which article to use, but with a little practice it will become second nature. By the end of this post, you’ll be a pro at using German definite articles! What Are the Definite Articles in German? We’ll also give you some helpful tips on how to remember which form to use. In this blog post, we’ll go over when to use the different forms of the definite articles in German. It seems easy enough, but it gets complicated when you have to choose between the different forms of the definite articles. Each gender has a different definite article that you must use when you’re talking about a specific noun.įor example, the word for “the man” is der Mann, so the definite article here is der. In German, there are 3 genders for nouns: masculine, feminine, and neuter. shares some simple tips and tricks on learning German definite articles… It’s quite easy to understand with the subtitles in German.German grammar can be a difficult thing to master, especially for beginner students. Audiovisual supplementĪ beautiful song to supplement this lesson is "Schaurig Traurig" (terrible sadness). Given that the declension is different depending on it being a determiner or not. We just have to pay attention to whether the determiner is: They have the same declension and if we want to be practical, we don’t need to worry about them. Indefinite determiners (kein, einige,…)įor practical purposes, often, when a pronoun acts like a normal pronoun or like a determiner, there is no difference.Demonstrative determiners (dieser, jener, derjenige, derselbe) or demonstrative articles.Determinersĭefinite articles, indefinite articles and pronouns with an attributive function are called determiners (Artikelwort). Pronouns that behave like articles are called attributive pronouns. ![]() Pronouns often accompany a noun (attributive function): More info at the apostrophe in German Pronouns that can function as articles Ich habe eine Wohnung I have an apartment ![]() In an informal setting it is common to contract the indefinite article ein to ‘n: Contraction of the indefinite article in slang In German, "einige" (some) is sometimes used to refer to an indefinite number of objects (plural). This is the equivalent of the English article "a" or "an". The definite articles are contracted with prepositions in these cases:Īn + das = ans, an + dem = am, auf + das = aufs, bei + dem = beim, durch + das = durchs, für + das = fürs, in + das = ins, in + dem = im, um + das = ums, von + dem = vom, zu + der = zur, zu + dem = zum Declension of the indefinite article It is very important to learn this table.Ĭontractions: preposition + definite article We simply use "the" for any gender, case and number. The definite article (der, die, das,…) does not have an equivalent in English. In the second, the teacher is not known or irrelevant. In the first case, the teacher is known or relevant. The (female) teacher reads Die Lehrerin liestĪ (female) teacher reads Eine Lehrerin liest The definite article is used in German (just like in English) when we refer to a particular object. Differences between the definite and indefinite article
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