Why does the noun Ei 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 Ei
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | das Ei | ein Ei | kein Ei |
| Akkusativ | das Ei | ein Ei | kein Ei |
| Dativ | dem Ei | einem Ei | keinem Ei |
| Genitiv | des Eies | eines Eies | keines Eies |
| Nominativ | die Eier | Eier | keine Eier |
| Akkusativ | die Eier | Eier | keine Eier |
| Dativ | den Eiern | Eiern | keinen Eiern |
| Genitiv | der Eier | Eier | keiner Eier |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Ei in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Das frische Ei ist lecker.The fresh egg is delicious. | Ein frisches Ei ist lecker.A fresh egg is delicious. | Kein frisches Ei ist schlecht.No fresh egg is bad. |
| Akkusativ | Ich esse das frische Ei.I eat the fresh egg. | Ich kaufe ein frisches Ei.I buy a fresh egg. | Ich finde kein frisches Ei.I don't find any fresh egg. |
| Dativ | Ich gebe dem frischen Ei Salz.I give salt to the fresh egg. | Ich gebe einem frischen Ei Salz.I give salt to a fresh egg. | Ich gebe keinem frischen Ei Salz.I give salt to no fresh egg. |
| Genitiv | Die Schale des frischen Eies ist hart.The shell of the fresh egg is hard. | Die Schale eines frischen Eies ist hart.The shell of a fresh egg is hard. | Die Schale keines frischen Eies ist hart.The shell of no fresh egg is hard. |
| Nominativ | Die frischen Eier sind lecker.The fresh eggs are delicious. | Frische Eier sind lecker.Fresh eggs are delicious. | Keine frischen Eier sind schlecht.No fresh eggs are bad. |
| Akkusativ | Ich esse die frischen Eier.I eat the fresh eggs. | Ich kaufe frische Eier.I buy fresh eggs. | Ich finde keine frischen Eier.I don't find any fresh eggs. |
| Dativ | Ich gebe den frischen Eiern Salz.I give salt to the fresh eggs. | Ich gebe frischen Eiern Salz.I give salt to fresh eggs. | Ich gebe keinen frischen Eiern Salz.I give salt to no fresh eggs. |
| Genitiv | Die Schale der frischen Eier ist hart.The shell of the fresh eggs is hard. | Die Schale frischer Eier ist hart.The shell of fresh eggs is hard. | Die Schale keiner frischen Eier ist hart.The shell of no fresh eggs is hard. |
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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 Ei?
It is das Ei. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Ei 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 Ei?
The German noun Ei is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of das Ei?
The plural form of das Ei is die Eier. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does das Ei mean in English?
The German word das Ei translates to “egg” in English.
How do you decline das Ei?
Like all German nouns, Ei changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: das Ei
- Akkusativ: das Ei
- Dativ: dem Ei
- Genitiv: des Eies
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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