Singular
die
Autobahn
expressway, motorway
Plural: die Autobahnen
Why does the noun Autobahn 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 Autobahn
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | die Autobahn | eine Autobahn | keine Autobahn |
| Akkusativ | die Autobahn | eine Autobahn | keine Autobahn |
| Dativ | der Autobahn | einer Autobahn | keiner Autobahn |
| Genitiv | der Autobahn | einer Autobahn | keiner Autobahn |
| Nominativ | die Autobahnen | Autobahnen | keine Autobahnen |
| Akkusativ | die Autobahnen | Autobahnen | keine Autobahnen |
| Dativ | den Autobahnen | Autobahnen | keinen Autobahnen |
| Genitiv | der Autobahnen | Autobahnen | keiner Autobahnen |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Autobahn in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Die neue Autobahn ist lang.The new highway is long. | Eine breite Autobahn führt nach Berlin.A wide highway leads to Berlin. | Keine kleine Autobahn ist hier.No small highway is here. |
| Akkusativ | Wir sehen die neue Autobahn dort.We see the new highway there. | Er sucht eine schnelle Autobahn jetzt.He is looking for a fast highway now. | Ich finde keine leere Autobahn heute.I don't find any empty highway today. |
| Dativ | Auf der neuen Autobahn fahren wir schnell.We drive fast on the new highway. | Er fährt auf einer breiten Autobahn gern.He likes to drive on a wide highway. | Ich fahre auf keiner engen Autobahn mehr.I don't drive on any narrow highway anymore. |
| Genitiv | Die Länge der neuen Autobahn ist bekannt.The length of the new highway is known. | Die Breite einer breiten Autobahn ist gut.The width of a wide highway is good. | Die Richtung keiner leeren Autobahn ist klar.The direction of no empty highway is clear. |
| Nominativ | Die neuen Autobahnen sind lang.The new highways are long. | Breite Autobahnen führen nach Berlin.Wide highways lead to Berlin. | Keine kleinen Autobahnen sind hier.No small highways are here. |
| Akkusativ | Wir sehen die neuen Autobahnen dort.We see the new highways there. | Er sucht schnelle Autobahnen jetzt.He is looking for fast highways now. | Ich finde keine leeren Autobahnen heute.I don't find any empty highways today. |
| Dativ | Auf den neuen Autobahnen fahren wir schnell.We drive fast on the new highways. | Er fährt auf breiten Autobahnen gern.He likes to drive on wide highways. | Ich fahre auf keinen engen Autobahnen mehr.I don't drive on any narrow highways anymore. |
| Genitiv | Die Länge der neuen Autobahnen ist bekannt.The length of the new highways is known. | Die Breite breiter Autobahnen ist gut.The width of wide highways is good. | Die Richtung keiner leeren Autobahnen ist klar.The direction of no empty highways is clear. |
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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 Autobahn?
It is die Autobahn. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Autobahn 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 Autobahn?
The German noun Autobahn is categorized as Elementary (A2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of die Autobahn?
The plural form of die Autobahn is die Autobahnen. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does die Autobahn mean in English?
The German word die Autobahn translates to “expressway, motorway” in English.
How do you decline die Autobahn?
Like all German nouns, Autobahn changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: die Autobahn
- Akkusativ: die Autobahn
- Dativ: der Autobahn
- Genitiv: der Autobahn
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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Strong Standard declension — no extra -(e)n. The 96% majority.
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