Singular
das
Element
element
Plural: die Elemente
Why does the noun Element have the article das?
Nouns ending in -ment are neuter. Look at the bolded -ment in the noun above — that suffix is the giveaway.
Examples
das Instrument (instrument), das Dokument (document), das Element (element), das Experiment (experiment), das Argument (argument), das Moment (moment)
Exceptions
der Moment (moment in time) vs das Moment (factor/aspect) - different meanings
Declension table for German noun Element
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | das Element | ein Element | kein Element |
| Akkusativ | das Element | ein Element | kein Element |
| Dativ | dem Element | einem Element | keinem Element |
| Genitiv | des Elements | eines Elements | keines Elements |
| Nominativ | die Elemente | Elemente | keine Elemente |
| Akkusativ | die Elemente | Elemente | keine Elemente |
| Dativ | den Elementen | Elementen | keinen Elementen |
| Genitiv | der Elemente | Elemente | keiner Elemente |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Element in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Das neue Element ist wichtig.The new element is important. | Ein wichtiges Element fehlt hier.An important element is missing here. | Kein gutes Element ist perfekt.No good element is perfect. |
| Akkusativ | Ich sehe das neue Element.I see the new element. | Er braucht ein wichtiges Element.He needs an important element. | Wir haben kein gutes Element gefunden.We found no good element. |
| Dativ | Ich helfe dem kleinen Element.I help the small element. | Sie gibt einem neuen Element Farbe.She gives color to a new element. | Er arbeitet an keinem guten Element.He is not working on any good element. |
| Genitiv | Der Wert des neuen Elements ist hoch.The value of the new element is high. | Die Farbe eines wichtigen Elements fehlt.The color of an important element is missing. | Der Preis keines guten Elements ist bekannt.The price of no good element is known. |
| Nominativ | Die neuen Elemente sind klein.The new elements are small. | Viele Elemente sind wichtig.Many elements are important. | Keine guten Elemente sind einfach.No good elements are simple. |
| Akkusativ | Sie kauft die neuen Elemente.She buys the new elements. | Ich suche wichtige Elemente.I am looking for important elements. | Er hat keine interessanten Elemente gesehen.He saw no interesting elements. |
| Dativ | Wir sprechen mit den neuen Elementen.We talk to the new elements. | Er hilft vielen Elementen.He helps many elements. | Sie gibt keinen kleinen Elementen Wasser.She gives no small elements water. |
| Genitiv | Die Größe der neuen Elemente ist groß.The size of the new elements is large. | Der Zweck vieler Elemente ist klar.The purpose of many elements is clear. | Die Form keiner guten Elemente ist rund.The shape of no good elements is round. |
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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 Element?
It is das Element. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Element 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 Element?
The German noun Element is categorized as Upper-Intermediate (B2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of das Element?
The plural form of das Element is die Elemente. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does das Element mean in English?
The German word das Element translates to “element” in English.
How do you decline das Element?
Like all German nouns, Element changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: das Element
- Akkusativ: das Element
- Dativ: dem Element
- Genitiv: des Elements
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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Strong Standard declension — no extra -(e)n. The 96% majority.
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