German grammar › A1

Definite article declension

Level A1 · Nominativ, Akkusativ, Dativ — der, den or dem?

Why does “the” change?

English has one word for “the”. German has der, die, das — and each can change with the case: der Mann → den Mann → dem Mann. The article carries the gender and the job of the noun.

When you use it

  • Every time you use a noun with “the”.
  • After prepositions like mit and für, which need a specific case.
  • The table looks big, but most of it repeats.

Pattern

gender + case → article form

What changes

the article; the noun stays the same (a few nouns add an ending)

Examples

  • **Der** Hund schläft. — The dog is sleeping. — subject
  • Ich sehe **den** Hund. — I see the dog. — accusative
  • Ich spiele mit **dem** Hund. — I play with the dog. — dative after mit

Remember: Two questions every time: Which gender? Then which job?

Watch out: One form can have two jobs: der is masculine nominative, but also feminine dative — mit der Frau.

Builds on: The four cases — overview.

What is a case?

Idea

A case is the job of a noun in the sentence. German shows it on the article.

  • Doing it → Nominativ: Der Mann schläft. — The man is sleeping.
  • What I see → Akkusativ: Ich sehe den Mann. — I see the man.
  • Who I help → Dativ: Ich helfe dem Mann. — I help the man.

Same noun, new job → new article. The noun Mann never changes.

The article table

Idea

Gender + case = the article.

Masc. der MannFem. die FrauNeut. das KindPlural die Kinder
Nominativderdiedasdie
Akkusativdendiedasdie
Dativdemderdemden -n
Remember
  • Akkusativ: only der → den changes — die, das and plural die stay.
  • Dativ plural: den + -n — mit den Kindern
der has two jobs

Masculine Nominativ (der Mann) or feminine Dativ (mit der Frau).

Now you need the case. It comes from the verb — or from a preposition.

No preposition? The verb decides

Idea

Nothing like mit or für before the noun? Then the verb decides the case.

Verbs + Akkusativ

  • sehen — see
  • kaufen — buy
  • haben — have
  • brauchen — need
  • finden — find
  • essen — eat

Ich sehe den Mann.

Verbs + Dativ

  • helfen — help
  • danken — thank
  • antworten — answer
  • gefallen — be pleasing to
  • gehören — belong to
  • folgen — follow

Ich helfe dem Mann.

  • Some verbs take both: person → Dativ, thing → Akkusativ: Ich gebe dem Mann das Buch. — I give the man the book.

A preposition is stronger than the verb: Ich gehe mit dem Mann.

What is a preposition?

Idea

A small word before a noun — mit, für, in. Most of them always take one case.

Always Dativ

  • mit — with / by
  • bei — at / near
  • seit — since / for
  • von — from / of
  • zu — to
  • aus — from / out of
  • nach — to / after
  • außer — except
  • gegenüber — opposite

Ich fahre mit dem Bus. — I travel by bus.

Always Akkusativ

  • für — for
  • ohne — without
  • durch — through
  • gegen — against
  • um — around / at (time)

Ich kaufe Kaffee für die Frau. — I buy coffee for the woman.

Nine prepositions can take both cases. One question decides.

Wo? or Wohin?

Idea

Wo? (a place) → Dativ. Wohin? (a destination) → Akkusativ.

The nine

  • in — in / into
  • an — at / on
  • auf — on / onto
  • unter — under
  • über — over
  • vor — in front of
  • hinter — behind
  • neben — next to
  • zwischen — between
  • Wo? → Dativ: Ich bin im Zimmer. — I’m in the room. (im = in dem)
  • Wohin? → Akkusativ: Ich gehe in das Zimmer. — I’m going into the room.
Moving is not always Akkusativ

Ich laufe im Park — I run inside the park. It’s a place (Wo?) → Dativ.

Some verbs bring their own preposition. Then the pair decides — not Wo? / Wohin?

Verb + preposition pairs

Idea

Learn these as one unit: warten auf = wait for.

  • warten auf + Akkusativ — wait for: Ich warte auf den Bus. — I am waiting for the bus.
  • denken an + Akkusativ — think about: Ich denke an die Frau. — I think about the woman.
  • sprechen mit + Dativ — talk with: Ich spreche mit dem Lehrer. — I talk with the teacher.
wait for ≠ warten für

It’s warten auf. Don’t translate “for” as für every time.

That’s everything that decides a case. Last step: the order to check them.

Put it together

Idea

Check in this order — the first answer wins.

Five actions

  1. Find the word — Is there mit, für, in … before the noun?
  2. A pair like warten auf? — Use the pair’s case.
  3. Fixed case or a place? — Use the fixed case — or ask Wo? / Wohin?
  4. No preposition? — The verb decides.
  5. Choose the article — Gender + case → the table.

One sentence, every rule

Ich gebe dem Kind das Buch für den Lehrer. — I give the child the book for the teacher.

  • dem Kind: No preposition → geben: the person → Dativ
  • das Buch: geben: the thing → Akkusativ
  • für den Lehrer: für decides → Akkusativ
Good to know
  • dieser, jeder, welcher — same endings: diesen Mann, diesem Mann
  • Genitiv (des, der) — the fourth case — later, mostly written

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