Singular
das
Auto
automobile, car
Plural: die Autos
Why does the noun Auto have the article das?
Most nouns ending in -o are neuter.
Examples
das Auto (car), das Büro (office), das Kino (cinema), das Radio (radio), das Foto (photo), das Konto (account), das Cello (cello)
Exceptions
der Euro (euro), die Avocado (avocado), der Zoo (zoo)
Declension table for German noun Auto
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | das Auto | ein Auto | kein Auto |
| Akkusativ | das Auto | ein Auto | kein Auto |
| Dativ | dem Auto | einem Auto | keinem Auto |
| Genitiv | des Autos | eines Autos | keines Autos |
| Nominativ | die Autos | Autos | keine Autos |
| Akkusativ | die Autos | Autos | keine Autos |
| Dativ | den Autos | Autos | keinen Autos |
| Genitiv | der Autos | Autos | keiner Autos |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Auto in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Das neue Auto ist sehr teuer.The new car is very expensive. | Dort steht ein rotes Auto.A red car is standing there. | Das ist kein schnelles Auto.That is not a fast car. |
| Akkusativ | Ich sehe das blaue Auto.I see the blue car. | Er kauft ein neues Auto.He is buying a new car. | Ich möchte kein großes Auto.I don't want a big car. |
| Dativ | Ich sitze in dem neuen Auto.I am sitting in the new car. | Er hilft mit einem alten Auto.He is helping with an old car. | Ich fahre mit keinem schnellen Auto.I am not driving with a fast car. |
| Genitiv | Die Farbe des neuen Autos ist schön.The color of the new car is beautiful. | Der Motor eines alten Autos ist laut.The engine of an old car is loud. | Der Wert keines kaputten Autos ist gering.The value of no broken car is low. |
| Nominativ | Die alten Autos gehören mir.The old cars belong to me. | Hier sind schöne Autos.Here are beautiful cars. | Das sind keine sicheren Autos.Those are not safe cars. |
| Akkusativ | Wir waschen die schmutzigen Autos.We are washing the dirty cars. | Sie hat alte Autos.She has old cars. | Ich sehe keine neuen Autos.I see no new cars. |
| Dativ | Wir fahren mit den roten Autos.We are driving with the red cars. | Er arbeitet mit alten Autos.He works with old cars. | Ich helfe bei keinen kaputten Autos.I don't help with any broken cars. |
| Genitiv | Der Preis der neuen Autos steigt.The price of the new cars is rising. | Die Reifen alter Autos sind platt.The tires of old cars are flat. | Die Geschichte keiner gestohlenen Autos ist unbekannt.The history of no stolen cars is unknown. |
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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 Auto?
It is das Auto. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Auto is neuter. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.
What CEFR level is the word Auto?
The German noun Auto is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of das Auto?
The plural form of das Auto is die Autos. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does das Auto mean in English?
The German word das Auto translates to “automobile, car” in English.
How do you decline das Auto?
Like all German nouns, Auto changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: das Auto
- Akkusativ: das Auto
- Dativ: dem Auto
- Genitiv: des Autos
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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