Singular
die
Bakterie
bacterium
Plural: die Bakterien
Why does the noun Bakterie have the article die?
Nouns ending in -ie are feminine.
Examples
die Philosophie (philosophy), die Biologie (biology), die Demokratie (democracy), die Energie (energy), die Melodie (melody), die Symphonie (symphony)
Declension table for German noun Bakterie
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | die Bakterie | eine Bakterie | keine Bakterie |
| Akkusativ | die Bakterie | eine Bakterie | keine Bakterie |
| Dativ | der Bakterie | einer Bakterie | keiner Bakterie |
| Genitiv | der Bakterie | einer Bakterie | keiner Bakterie |
| Nominativ | die Bakterien | Bakterien | keine Bakterien |
| Akkusativ | die Bakterien | Bakterien | keine Bakterien |
| Dativ | den Bakterien | Bakterien | keinen Bakterien |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Bakterie in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Die Bakterie ist klein.The bacterium is small. | Eine Bakterie lebt hier.A bacterium lives here. | Keine Bakterie ist gefährlich.No bacterium is dangerous. |
| Akkusativ | Ich sehe die Bakterie.I see the bacterium. | Er findet eine Bakterie.He finds a bacterium. | Wir haben keine Bakterie.We have no bacterium. |
| Dativ | Ich helfe der Bakterie.I help the bacterium. | Er gibt einer Bakterie Nahrung.He gives a bacterium food. | Ich traue keiner Bakterie.I trust no bacterium. |
| Genitiv | Die Größe der Bakterie ist wichtig.The size of the bacterium is important. | Das Wachstum einer Bakterie ist schnell.The growth of a bacterium is fast. | Die Farbe keiner Bakterie ist bekannt.The color of no bacterium is known. |
| Nominativ | Die Bakterien sind überall.The bacteria are everywhere. | Viele Bakterien sind nützlich.Many bacteria are useful. | Keine Bakterien sind gut.No bacteria are good. |
| Akkusativ | Sie sehen die Bakterien.They see the bacteria. | Ich suche viele Bakterien.I am looking for many bacteria. | Sie haben keine Bakterien.They have no bacteria. |
| Dativ | Ich helfe den Bakterien.I help the bacteria. | Er spricht mit vielen Bakterien.He talks with many bacteria. | Ich gebe keinen Bakterien Wasser.I give no bacteria water. |
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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 Bakterie?
It is die Bakterie. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Bakterie 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 Bakterie?
The German noun Bakterie is categorized as Upper-Intermediate (B2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of die Bakterie?
The plural form of die Bakterie is die Bakterien. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does die Bakterie mean in English?
The German word die Bakterie translates to “bacterium” in English.
How do you decline die Bakterie?
Like all German nouns, Bakterie changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: die Bakterie
- Akkusativ: die Bakterie
- Dativ: der Bakterie
- Genitiv: der Bakterie
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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