Why does the noun Drei have the article die?

Numbers used as nouns are feminine.

Examples

die Eins (the one), die Zwei (the two), die Drei (the three), die Hundert (the hundred), die Million (the million)

Declension table for German noun Drei

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativdie Dreieine Dreikeine Drei
Akkusativdie Dreieine Dreikeine Drei
Dativder Dreieiner Dreikeiner Drei
Genitivder Dreieiner Dreikeiner Drei

Examples in context

Real sentences using Drei in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Die große Drei ist wichtig.The big three is important.
Eine Drei ist eine Zahl.A three is a number.
Keine Drei ist hier.No three is here.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe die rote Drei.I see the red three.
Wir suchen eine kleine Drei.We are looking for a small three.
Er mag keine Drei.He likes no three.
Dativ
Ich gebe der alten Drei einen Punkt.I give the old three a point.
Ich spreche mit einer Drei.I speak with a three.
Ich helfe keiner Drei.I help no three.
Genitiv
Der Wert der großen Drei ist hoch.The value of the big three is high.
Die Form einer Drei ist rund.The shape of a three is round.
Die Bedeutung keiner Drei ist klar.The meaning of no three 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 Drei?

It is die Drei. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Drei is feminine. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.

What is the plural of die Drei?

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

What does die Drei mean in English?

The German word die Drei translates to “three” in English.

How do you decline die Drei?

Like all German nouns, Drei changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
  • Nominativ: die Drei
  • Akkusativ: die Drei
  • Dativ: der Drei
  • Genitiv: der Drei

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.