Why does the noun Abtreibung have the article die?

Nouns ending in -ung are always feminine. Look at the bolded -ung in the noun above — that suffix is the giveaway.

Examples

die Zeitung (newspaper), die Wohnung (apartment), die Bildung (education), die Hoffnung (hope), die Übung (exercise), die Meinung (opinion), die Erfahrung (experience)

Exceptions

der Sprung (jump), der Schwung (momentum) - these are verb stems, not the -ung suffix

Declension table for German noun Abtreibung

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativdie Abtreibungeine Abtreibungkeine Abtreibung
Akkusativdie Abtreibungeine Abtreibungkeine Abtreibung
Dativder Abtreibungeiner Abtreibungkeiner Abtreibung
Genitivder Abtreibungeiner Abtreibungkeiner Abtreibung

Examples in context

Real sentences using Abtreibung in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Die legale Abtreibung ist erlaubt.The legal abortion is allowed.
Eine frühe Abtreibung ist möglich.An early abortion is possible.
Keine Abtreibung ist eine Lösung.No abortion is a solution.
Akkusativ
Sie erwägt die späte Abtreibung.She considers the late abortion.
Sie wünscht eine sichere Abtreibung.She wishes for a safe abortion.
Sie will keine Abtreibung machen.She doesn't want to have an abortion.
Dativ
Nach der Abtreibung fühlte sie sich leer.After the abortion, she felt empty.
Nach einer Abtreibung braucht man Hilfe.After an abortion, one needs help.
Sie denkt an keiner Abtreibung.She thinks of no abortion.
Genitiv
Die Frage der Abtreibung ist komplex.The question of abortion is complex.
Die Ethik einer Abtreibung ist wichtig.The ethics of an abortion is important.
Die Legitimität keiner Abtreibung ist fraglich.The legitimacy of no abortion is questionable.

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Frequently asked questions

Everything you might wonder about der, die, das — and the Der Artikel app.

Is it der, die, or das Abtreibung?

It is die Abtreibung. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Abtreibung is feminine. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.

What is the plural of die Abtreibung?

The plural form of die Abtreibung is die Abtreibungen. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”

What does die Abtreibung mean in English?

The German word die Abtreibung translates to “abortion” in English.

How do you decline die Abtreibung?

Like all German nouns, Abtreibung changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
  • Nominativ: die Abtreibung
  • Akkusativ: die Abtreibung
  • Dativ: der Abtreibung
  • Genitiv: der Abtreibung

These changes are necessary because German uses cases to indicate the noun’s role in a sentence (such as the subject or object). Knowing these forms allows you to build grammatically correct sentences.