Singular
die
Ampel
traffic light
Plural: die Ampeln
Why does the noun Ampel have the article die?
This noun follows no general suffix rule — its gender is part of the core vocabulary you simply learn alongside the word.
Declension table for German noun Ampel
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | die Ampel | eine Ampel | keine Ampel |
| Akkusativ | die Ampel | eine Ampel | keine Ampel |
| Dativ | der Ampel | einer Ampel | keiner Ampel |
| Genitiv | der Ampel | einer Ampel | keiner Ampel |
| Nominativ | die Ampeln | Ampeln | keine Ampeln |
| Akkusativ | die Ampeln | Ampeln | keine Ampeln |
| Dativ | den Ampeln | Ampeln | keinen Ampeln |
| Genitiv | der Ampeln | Ampeln | keiner Ampeln |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Ampel in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Die rote Ampel ist kaputt.The red traffic light is broken. | Eine neue Ampel steht dort.A new traffic light stands there. | Hier ist keine grüne Ampel.There is no green traffic light here. |
| Akkusativ | Ich sehe die rote Ampel jetzt.I see the red traffic light now. | Er braucht eine neue Ampel dringend.He urgently needs a new traffic light. | Wir haben keine grüne Ampel hier.We don't have a green traffic light here. |
| Dativ | Ich stehe vor der roten Ampel.I am standing in front of the red traffic light. | Er wartet an einer neuen Ampel.He is waiting at a new traffic light. | Sie fährt an keiner grünen Ampel vorbei.She drives past no green traffic light. |
| Genitiv | Die Farbe der roten Ampel ist wichtig.The color of the red traffic light is important. | Das Licht einer neuen Ampel ist hell.The light of a new traffic light is bright. | Der Zweck keiner grünen Ampel ist klar.The purpose of no green traffic light is clear. |
| Nominativ | Die alten Ampeln sind defekt.The old traffic lights are defective. | Viele Ampeln regeln den Verkehr.Many traffic lights regulate traffic. | Es gibt keine neuen Ampeln hier.There are no new traffic lights here. |
| Akkusativ | Sie reparieren die alten Ampeln schnell.They quickly repair the old traffic lights. | Wir sehen viele Ampeln überall.We see many traffic lights everywhere. | Ich finde keine neuen Ampeln mehr.I can't find any new traffic lights anymore. |
| Dativ | Wir folgen den alten Ampeln immer.We always follow the old traffic lights. | Sie gehen zu vielen Ampeln heute.They go to many traffic lights today. | Ich traue keinen neuen Ampeln mehr.I don't trust any new traffic lights anymore. |
| Genitiv | Der Zustand der alten Ampeln ist schlecht.The condition of the old traffic lights is bad. | Die Reparatur vieler Ampeln ist teuer.The repair of many traffic lights is expensive. | Die Funktion keiner neuen Ampeln ist bekannt.The function of no new traffic lights is known. |
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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 Ampel?
It is die Ampel. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Ampel is feminine. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.
What CEFR level is the word Ampel?
The German noun Ampel is categorized as Elementary (A2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of die Ampel?
The plural form of die Ampel is die Ampeln. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does die Ampel mean in English?
The German word die Ampel translates to “traffic light” in English.
How do you decline die Ampel?
Like all German nouns, Ampel changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: die Ampel
- Akkusativ: die Ampel
- Dativ: der Ampel
- Genitiv: der Ampel
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.
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