Singular
der
Bau
construction, building
Plural: die Bauten
Why does the noun Bau have the article der?
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 Bau
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Bau | ein Bau | kein Bau |
| Akkusativ | den Bau | einen Bau | keinen Bau |
| Dativ | dem Bau | einem Bau | keinem Bau |
| Genitiv | des Baues | eines Baues | keines Baues |
| Nominativ | die Bauten | Bauten | keine Bauten |
| Akkusativ | die Bauten | Bauten | keine Bauten |
| Dativ | den Bauten | Bauten | keinen Bauten |
| Genitiv | der Bauten | Bauten | keiner Bauten |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Bau in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Der neue Bau ist fertig.The new building is finished. | Ein großer Bau beginnt bald.A big construction project starts soon. | Kein weiterer Bau ist geplant.No further construction is planned. |
| Akkusativ | Wir sehen den großen Bau.We see the big building. | Er plant einen neuen Bau.He is planning a new building. | Ich sehe keinen alten Bau dort.I see no old building there. |
| Dativ | Ich arbeite an dem neuen Bau.I am working on the new building. | Er hilft bei einem großen Bau.He helps with a big construction. | Ich denke an keinem neuen Bau.I am not thinking of any new construction. |
| Genitiv | Die Kosten des neuen Baues sind hoch.The costs of the new building are high. | Der Beginn eines großen Baues ist wichtig.The beginning of a big construction is important. | Die Dauer keines großen Baues ist kurz.The duration of no big construction is short. |
| Nominativ | Die vielen Bauten sind alt.Many buildings are old. | Neue Bauten entstehen hier.New buildings are being built here. | Keine alten Bauten sind modern.No old buildings are modern. |
| Akkusativ | Sie mögen die modernen Bauten.They like the modern buildings. | Ich besuche viele historische Bauten.I visit many historical buildings. | Wir sehen keine neuen Bauten hier.We see no new buildings here. |
| Dativ | Wir wohnen in den alten Bauten.We live in the old buildings. | Er arbeitet an neuen Bauten.He is working on new buildings. | Ich helfe bei keinen großen Bauten.I am not helping with any big constructions. |
| Genitiv | Die Geschichte der alten Bauten ist lang.The history of the old buildings is long. | Die Schönheit vieler historischer Bauten fasziniert.The beauty of many historical buildings fascinates. | Die Funktion keiner neuen Bauten ist klar.The function of no new buildings 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 Bau?
It is der Bau. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Bau is masculine. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.
What CEFR level is the word Bau?
The German noun Bau is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of der Bau?
The plural form of der Bau is die Bauten. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does der Bau mean in English?
The German word der Bau translates to “construction, building” in English.
How do you decline der Bau?
Like all German nouns, Bau changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: der Bau
- Akkusativ: den Bau
- Dativ: dem Bau
- Genitiv: des Baues
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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