Why does the noun Ente have the article die?
Nouns specifically referring to female animals are feminine.
Examples
die Henne (hen), die Kuh (cow), die Stute (mare), die Sau (sow), die Kätzin (female cat), die Ziege (female goat)
Declension table for German noun Ente
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | die Ente | eine Ente | keine Ente |
| Akkusativ | die Ente | eine Ente | keine Ente |
| Dativ | der Ente | einer Ente | keiner Ente |
| Genitiv | der Ente | einer Ente | keiner Ente |
| Nominativ | die Enten | Enten | keine Enten |
| Akkusativ | die Enten | Enten | keine Enten |
| Dativ | den Enten | Enten | keinen Enten |
| Genitiv | der Enten | Enten | keiner Enten |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Ente in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Die graue Ente schwimmt im See.The gray duck swims in the lake. | Eine kleine Ente quakt laut.A small duck quacks loudly. | Keine Ente ist auf dem Teich.No duck is on the pond. |
| Akkusativ | Ich sehe die schöne Ente.I see the beautiful duck. | Er hat eine junge Ente.He has a young duck. | Wir finden keine Ente.We don't find any duck. |
| Dativ | Ich gebe der alten Ente Futter.I give food to the old duck. | Er hilft einer kranken Ente.He helps a sick duck. | Ich spreche mit keiner Ente.I don't speak with any duck. |
| Genitiv | Die Federn der grauen Ente sind weich.The feathers of the gray duck are soft. | Das Nest einer jungen Ente ist klein.The nest of a young duck is small. | Der Wert keiner Ente ist unbekannt.The value of no duck is unknown. |
| Nominativ | Die wilden Enten fliegen weg.The wild ducks fly away. | Viele Enten suchen Futter.Many ducks look for food. | Keine Enten sind im Wasser.No ducks are in the water. |
| Akkusativ | Sie füttert die hungrigen Enten.She feeds the hungry ducks. | Ich mag einige Enten.I like some ducks. | Wir sehen keine Enten hier.We see no ducks here. |
| Dativ | Er gibt den durstigen Enten Wasser.He gives water to the thirsty ducks. | Ich spiele mit vielen Enten.I play with many ducks. | Sie spricht mit keinen Enten.She doesn't speak with any ducks. |
| Genitiv | Die Küken der wilden Enten sind süß.The ducklings of the wild ducks are cute. | Die Eier vieler Enten sind klein.The eggs of many ducks are small. | Der Ruf keiner Enten ist gut.The reputation of no ducks 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 Ente?
It is die Ente. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Ente is feminine. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.
What CEFR level is the word Ente?
The German noun Ente is categorized as Elementary (A2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of die Ente?
The plural form of die Ente is die Enten. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does die Ente mean in English?
The German word die Ente translates to “duck” in English.
How do you decline die Ente?
Like all German nouns, Ente changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: die Ente
- Akkusativ: die Ente
- Dativ: der Ente
- Genitiv: der Ente
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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