Why does the noun Coup 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 Coup
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Coup | ein Coup | kein Coup |
| Akkusativ | den Coup | einen Coup | keinen Coup |
| Dativ | dem Coup | einem Coup | keinem Coup |
| Genitiv | des Coups | eines Coups | keines Coups |
| Nominativ | die Coups | Coups | keine Coups |
| Akkusativ | die Coups | Coups | keine Coups |
| Dativ | den Coups | Coups | keinen Coups |
| Genitiv | der Coups | Coups | keiner Coups |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Coup in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Der letzte Coup war gut.The last coup was good. | Ein neuer Coup gelingt oft.A new coup often succeeds. | Kein kleiner Coup ist leicht.No small coup is easy. |
| Akkusativ | Er plant den nächsten Coup.He plans the next coup. | Sie versuchen einen guten Coup.They attempt a good coup. | Ich sehe keinen schlechten Coup.I don't see any bad coup. |
| Dativ | Nach dem großen Coup war Ruhe.After the big coup, there was peace. | Er spricht von einem neuen Coup.He talks about a new coup. | Ich denke an keinem alten Coup.I don't think of any old coup. |
| Genitiv | Der Erfolg des großen Coups war riesig.The success of the big coup was huge. | Die Idee eines neuen Coups ist gut.The idea of a new coup is good. | Der Zweck keines alten Coups ist klar.The purpose of no old coup is clear. |
| Nominativ | Die großen Coups sind selten.The big coups are rare. | Neue Coups sind geplant.New coups are planned. | Keine alten Coups sind bekannt.No old coups are known. |
| Akkusativ | Wir feiern die großen Coups.We celebrate the big coups. | Sie planen neue Coups jetzt.They are planning new coups now. | Ich mag keine kleinen Coups.I don't like any small coups. |
| Dativ | Er spricht von den großen Coups.He talks about the big coups. | Sie arbeiten an neuen Coups.They are working on new coups. | Ich vertraue keinen kleinen Coups.I don't trust any small coups. |
| Genitiv | Die Details der großen Coups sind geheim.The details of the big coups are secret. | Die Planung neuer Coups braucht Zeit.The planning of new coups takes time. | Der Wert keiner alten Coups ist hoch.The value of no old coups is high. |
Frequently asked questions
Everything you might wonder about der, die, das — and the Der Artikel app.
Is it der, die, or das Coup?
It is der Coup. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Coup is masculine. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.
What is the plural of der Coup?
The plural form of der Coup is die Coups. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does der Coup mean in English?
The German word der Coup translates to “coup” in English.
How do you decline der Coup?
Like all German nouns, Coup changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: der Coup
- Akkusativ: den Coup
- Dativ: dem Coup
- Genitiv: des Coups
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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