Why does the noun Birne have the article die?
Many fruit names are feminine.
Examples
die Birne (pear), die Kirsche (cherry), die Pflaume (plum), die Erdbeere (strawberry), die Himbeere (raspberry), die Traube (grape), die Orange (orange)
Exceptions
der Apfel (apple), der Pfirsich (peach)
Declension table for German noun Birne
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | die Birne | eine Birne | keine Birne |
| Akkusativ | die Birne | eine Birne | keine Birne |
| Dativ | der Birne | einer Birne | keiner Birne |
| Genitiv | der Birne | einer Birne | keiner Birne |
| Nominativ | die Birnen | Birnen | keine Birnen |
| Akkusativ | die Birnen | Birnen | keine Birnen |
| Dativ | den Birnen | Birnen | keinen Birnen |
| Genitiv | der Birnen | Birnen | keiner Birnen |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Birne in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Die reife Birne ist reif.The ripe pear is ripe. | Eine neue Birne liegt hier.A new pear lies here. | Keine gute Birne ist im Korb.No good pear is in the basket. |
| Akkusativ | Ich esse die reife Birne.I eat the ripe pear. | Er möchte eine neue Birne haben.He wants to have a new pear. | Wir brauchen keine teuere Birne.We don't need any expensive pear. |
| Dativ | Ich gebe der reifen Birne Wasser.I give water to the ripe pear. | Mit einer neuen Birne ist der Kuchen gut.With a new pear, the cake is good. | Ich esse Kuchen mit keiner guten Birne.I eat cake with no good pear. |
| Genitiv | Der Geschmack der reifen Birne ist gut.The taste of the ripe pear is good. | Der Preis einer neuen Birne ist hoch.The price of a new pear is high. | Die Farbe keiner guten Birne gefällt mir nicht.The color of no good pear pleases me. |
| Nominativ | Die vielen Birnen sind süß.The many pears are sweet. | Leckere Birnen schmecken gut.Delicious pears taste good. | Keine frischen Birnen sind übrig.No fresh pears are left. |
| Akkusativ | Sie mag die süßen Birnen.She likes the sweet pears. | Ich sehe viele Birnen im Laden.I see many pears in the shop. | Wir haben keine alten Birnen mehr.We don't have any old pears left. |
| Dativ | Ich bin zufrieden mit den leckeren Birnen.I am satisfied with the delicious pears. | Ich träume von vielen Birnen.I dream of many pears. | Ich spreche von keinen guten Birnen.I speak of no good pears. |
| Genitiv | Die Qualität der vielen Birnen ist hoch.The quality of the many pears is high. | Der Geruch frischer Birnen ist angenehm.The smell of fresh pears is pleasant. | Der Wert keiner alten Birnen ist gering.The value of no old pears is low. |
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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 Birne?
It is die Birne. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Birne 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 Birne?
The German noun Birne is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of die Birne?
The plural form of die Birne is die Birnen. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does die Birne mean in English?
The German word die Birne translates to “pear” in English.
How do you decline die Birne?
Like all German nouns, Birne changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: die Birne
- Akkusativ: die Birne
- Dativ: der Birne
- Genitiv: der Birne
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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