Why does the noun Dorf have the article das?
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 Dorf
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | das Dorf | ein Dorf | kein Dorf |
| Akkusativ | das Dorf | ein Dorf | kein Dorf |
| Dativ | dem Dorf | einem Dorf | keinem Dorf |
| Genitiv | des Dorfes | eines Dorfes | keines Dorfes |
| Nominativ | die Dörfer | Dörfer | keine Dörfer |
| Akkusativ | die Dörfer | Dörfer | keine Dörfer |
| Dativ | den Dörfern | Dörfern | keinen Dörfern |
| Genitiv | der Dörfer | Dörfer | keiner Dörfer |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Dorf in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Das kleine Dorf liegt am See.The small village is on the lake. | Hier ist ein schönes Dorf.Here is a beautiful village. | Kein Dorf ist auf der Karte.No village is on the map. |
| Akkusativ | Ich sehe das kleine Dorf.I see the small village. | Wir besuchen ein altes Dorf.We are visiting an old village. | Er malt kein Dorf auf das Bild.He paints no village on the picture. |
| Dativ | Ich wohne in dem kleinen Dorf.I live in the small village. | Wir helfen einem armen Dorf.We are helping a poor village. | Das Paket geht zu keinem Dorf.The package is not going to any village. |
| Genitiv | Der Name des kleinen Dorfes ist lustig.The name of the small village is funny. | Die Geschichte eines alten Dorfes ist lang.The history of an old village is long. | Trotz keines Dorfes gibt es hier viel.Despite there being no village, there is a lot here. |
| Nominativ | Die alten Dörfer sind sehr alt.The old villages are very old. | Dort sind viele Dörfer.There are many villages there. | Hier gibt es keine neuen Dörfer.There are no new villages here. |
| Akkusativ | Er kennt die schönen Dörfer.He knows the beautiful villages. | Sie fotografiert kleine Dörfer.She photographs small villages. | Wir haben keine Dörfer gesehen.We have seen no villages. |
| Dativ | Er spricht mit den alten Dörfern.He speaks with the old villages. | Das Essen schmeckt wenigen Dörfern.The food tastes good to few villages. | Ich fahre zu keinen weiten Dörfern.I am not driving to any distant villages. |
| Genitiv | Die Lage der nahen Dörfer ist gut.The location of the nearby villages is good. | Die Kultur vieler Dörfer ist interessant.The culture of many villages is interesting. | Die Namen keiner neuen Dörfer sind unbekannt.The names of no new villages are unknown. |
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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 Dorf?
It is das Dorf. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Dorf 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 Dorf?
The German noun Dorf is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of das Dorf?
The plural form of das Dorf is die Dörfer. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does das Dorf mean in English?
The German word das Dorf translates to “village” in English.
How do you decline das Dorf?
Like all German nouns, Dorf changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: das Dorf
- Akkusativ: das Dorf
- Dativ: dem Dorf
- Genitiv: des Dorfes
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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