Articles & Gender (der/die/das)
German has two kinds of article: the definite der/die/das ("the") and the indefinite ein/eine ("a/an"). Every noun carries a gender — masculine (der), feminine (die), or neuter (das) — and the article is where that gender shows. Because gender is not predictable, you learn each noun together with its article.
Three genders, three articles
Every German noun is der, die, or das. This is grammatical gender, not biological: it is der Tisch (table), die Lampe (lamp), das Fenster (window). Learn the article with every new noun — "das Buch", never a bare "Buch".
der Mann
the man
masculine
die Frau
the woman
feminine
das Kind
the child
neuter
Definite vs indefinite
Use der/die/das for something specific or already known, and ein/eine for something new or non-specific — exactly like English "the" vs "a". There is no plural of ein: a plural indefinite just drops the article (Ich sehe Kinder = I see children).
Ich kaufe einen Apfel.
I buy an apple.
new / non-specific → ein
Der Apfel ist rot.
The apple is red.
now specific → der
kein — the negative article
To say "no / not a", use kein, which declines exactly like ein but also has a plural (keine). Use kein to negate a noun; use nicht for everything else.
Ich habe kein Auto.
I have no car.
Sie hat keine Zeit.
She has no time.
When German drops the article
German leaves out the article with professions and nationalities after sein/werden, and often with uncountable or general nouns.
Ich bin Lehrer.
I am a teacher.
no article for a profession
Sie ist Deutsche.
She is German.
Examples
Das ist ein Hund. Der Hund ist groß.
That is a dog. The dog is big.
ein introduces, der refers back
Die Kinder spielen im Garten.
The children are playing in the garden.
plural → die
Ich brauche kein Geld.
I don't need any money.
kein negates the noun
Er ist Arzt.
He is a doctor.
no article after sein for a profession
Articles in the nominative (dictionary form)
| Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| definite (the) | der | die | das | die |
| indefinite (a/an) | ein | eine | ein | — / keine |
Common Mistakes
- ✗ Ich bin ein Lehrer. → ✓ Ich bin Lehrer. (drop the article for professions)
- ✗ Ich habe nicht ein Auto. → ✓ Ich habe kein Auto. (negate a noun with kein, not nicht)
- Guessing gender: der/die/das is lexical — learn it with the noun, don't assume from meaning.
- ✗ Das ist eine Kind. → ✓ Das ist ein Kind. (Kind is neuter → ein)
Lookup Tips
- Every noun = article + noun. If you can't recall the gender, you don't fully know the word yet.
- ein has no ending in three spots (ein Mann, ein Kind); the article changes far more once you add case — see the Four Cases guide.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a noun is der, die, or das?
Gender is mostly unpredictable and must be memorized with the noun, but endings help: -ung/-heit/-keit/-schaft/-ion are almost always die, -chen/-lein are always das, many -er agent nouns are der.
When do I use ein vs der?
ein/eine introduces something new or non-specific ("a"); der/die/das points to something specific or already mentioned ("the").
Why is there no "a" in "Ich bin Lehrer"?
German drops the article before an unmodified profession or nationality after sein/werden. English keeps "a"; German does not.
What's the difference between kein and nicht?
kein negates a noun (kein Auto = no car); nicht negates verbs, adjectives, and definite nouns (Ich mag das Auto nicht).