Why does the noun Bekenntnis have the article das?

About 70% of nouns ending in -nis are neuter. Look at the bolded -nis in the noun above — that suffix is the giveaway.

Examples

das Ergebnis (result), das Ereignis (event), das Geheimnis (secret), das Verhältnis (relationship), das Erlebnis (experience), das Bedürfnis (need)

Exceptions

die Kenntnis (knowledge), die Erlaubnis (permission), die Finsternis (darkness), die Besorgnis (concern)

Declension table for German noun Bekenntnis

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativdas Bekenntnisein Bekenntniskein Bekenntnis
Akkusativdas Bekenntnisein Bekenntniskein Bekenntnis
Dativdem Bekenntniseinem Bekenntniskeinem Bekenntnis
Genitivdes Bekenntnisseseines Bekenntnisseskeines Bekenntnisses

Examples in context

Real sentences using Bekenntnis in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Das ehrliche Bekenntnis ist wichtig.The honest confession is important.
Ein kleines Bekenntnis hilft oft.A small confession often helps.
Kein neues Bekenntnis ist nötig.No new confession is necessary.
Akkusativ
Ich höre das traurige Bekenntnis.I hear the sad confession.
Er gibt ein wichtiges Bekenntnis ab.He makes an important confession.
Sie will kein wichtiges Bekenntnis hören.She doesn't want to hear any important confession.
Dativ
Ich glaube dem ehrlichen Bekenntnis.I believe the honest confession.
Sie folgt einem kleinen Bekenntnis.She follows a small confession.
Er vertraut keinem falschen Bekenntnis.He trusts no false confession.
Genitiv
Der Wert des ehrlichen Bekenntnisses ist hoch.The value of the honest confession is high.
Die Kraft eines kleinen Bekenntnisses ist groß.The power of a small confession is great.
Die Wirkung keines neuen Bekenntnisses fehlt.The effect of no new confession is missing.

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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 Bekenntnis?

It is das Bekenntnis. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Bekenntnis 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 Bekenntnis?

The German noun Bekenntnis is categorized as Upper-Intermediate (B2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.

What is the plural of das Bekenntnis?

The plural form of das Bekenntnis is die Bekenntnisse. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”

What does das Bekenntnis mean in English?

The German word das Bekenntnis translates to “confession, commitment” in English.

How do you decline das Bekenntnis?

Like all German nouns, Bekenntnis changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
  • Nominativ: das Bekenntnis
  • Akkusativ: das Bekenntnis
  • Dativ: dem Bekenntnis
  • Genitiv: des Bekenntnisses

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.