Der Hund ist groß.
English: The dog is big.
- Language
- German
- Level
- A1
- Unit
- Pronomen und Artikel
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
The 'bestimmter Artikel' in German is the definite article. It is the word for 'the' and is used before nouns to talk about specific people or things.
When to use it
Use the definite article in German when you talk about something specific or known to both the speaker and listener, like a particular object, person, or group.
Key forms
- der (masculine, singular)
- die (feminine, singular)
- das (neuter, singular)
- die (plural, all genders)
Examples
Die Tür ist offen.
English: The door is open.
Das Buch ist neu.
English: The book is new.
Die Kinder spielen.
English: The children are playing.
Tips
- Remember that the article changes with the gender of the noun: der (masculine), die (feminine), das (neuter).
- The plural form is always 'die', no matter the gender.
- Learn the article together with the noun to help you remember the gender.
Exceptions and edge cases
- Some nouns have an unexpected gender, so always check the article.
- Certain set phrases may omit the article.