Why does the noun Entwicklung have the article die?

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

Examples

die Zeitung (newspaper), die Wohnung (apartment), die Bildung (education), die Hoffnung (hope), die Übung (exercise), die Meinung (opinion), die Erfahrung (experience)

Exceptions

der Sprung (jump), der Schwung (momentum) - these are verb stems, not the -ung suffix

Declension table for German noun Entwicklung

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativdie Entwicklungeine Entwicklungkeine Entwicklung
Akkusativdie Entwicklungeine Entwicklungkeine Entwicklung
Dativder Entwicklungeiner Entwicklungkeiner Entwicklung
Genitivder Entwicklungeiner Entwicklungkeiner Entwicklung

Examples in context

Real sentences using Entwicklung in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Die aktuelle Entwicklung ist sehr positiv.The current development is very positive.
Eine neue Entwicklung hat begonnen.A new development has begun.
Keine positive Entwicklung ist erkennbar.No positive development is recognizable.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe die positive Entwicklung.I see the positive development.
Wir beobachten eine schnelle Entwicklung.We are observing a rapid development.
Er erwartet keine große Entwicklung.He expects no big development.
Dativ
Wir folgen der aktuellen Entwicklung.We are following the current development.
Er arbeitet an einer neuen Entwicklung.He is working on a new development.
Sie vertraut keiner neuen Entwicklung.She does not trust any new development.
Genitiv
Das Ergebnis der langen Entwicklung ist gut.The result of the long development is good.
Trotz einer schnellen Entwicklung gibt es Probleme.Despite a rapid development, there are problems.
Wegen keiner sichtbaren Entwicklung wurde das Projekt gestoppt.The project was stopped due to no visible development.

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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 Entwicklung?

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

The German noun Entwicklung is categorized as Intermediate (B1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.

What is the plural of die Entwicklung?

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

What does die Entwicklung mean in English?

The German word die Entwicklung translates to “development” in English.

How do you decline die Entwicklung?

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

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.