German grammar: Nominativ

What this grammar point covers

The Nominativ is the basic form of nouns and pronouns in German. It is used for the subject of a sentence—the person or thing doing the action.

When to use it

Use the Nominativ for the subject of a sentence, after the verb 'sein' (to be), and for nouns and pronouns that are doing the action.

Key forms

• der Mann
• die Frau
• das Kind
• die Hunde

Examples

Tips

• Remember: The Nominativ is used for the subject of the sentence.
• Watch out: Articles (der, die, das, die) change in other cases, but these are for Nominativ.
• After 'sein' (to be), use Nominativ, not another case.

Exceptions and edge cases

• Some verbs (like 'werden' and 'bleiben') also use the Nominativ after them.