Why does the noun Dummheit have the article die?

Nouns ending in -heit are always feminine. Look at the bolded -heit in the noun above — that suffix is the giveaway.

Examples

die Freiheit (freedom), die Schönheit (beauty), die Krankheit (illness), die Wahrheit (truth), die Sicherheit (safety), die Gesundheit (health)

Declension table for German noun Dummheit

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativdie Dummheiteine Dummheitkeine Dummheit
Akkusativdie Dummheiteine Dummheitkeine Dummheit
Dativder Dummheiteiner Dummheitkeiner Dummheit
Genitivder Dummheiteiner Dummheitkeiner Dummheit

Examples in context

Real sentences using Dummheit in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Die große Dummheit ist gefährlich.The great stupidity is dangerous.
Eine kleine Dummheit passiert jedem.A small stupidity happens to everyone.
Keine grosse Dummheit ist verzeihlich.No great stupidity is forgivable.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe die klare Dummheit sofort.I see the clear stupidity immediately.
Er macht eine gewisse Dummheit manchmal.He makes a certain stupidity sometimes.
Ich mag keine unnötige Dummheit.I don't like unnecessary stupidity.
Dativ
Mit der ständigen Dummheit leben wir.We live with the constant stupidity.
Er begegnet einer großen Dummheit selten.He rarely encounters a great stupidity.
Mit keiner grossen Dummheit rechne ich.I don't expect any great stupidity.
Genitiv
Der Grund der plötzlichen Dummheit ist klar.The reason for the sudden stupidity is clear.
Der Beginn einer schweren Dummheit ist schlecht.The beginning of a serious stupidity is bad.
Die Folge keiner einzigen Dummheit ist gut.The consequence of no single stupidity is good.

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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 Dummheit?

It is die Dummheit. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Dummheit 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 Dummheit?

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

What does die Dummheit mean in English?

The German word die Dummheit translates to “stupidity” in English.

How do you decline die Dummheit?

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

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.