Erbe

Q: Is it der, die, or das Erbe?

It is der Erbe. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Erbe is masculine. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.

Q: What is the plural of der Erbe?

The noun Erbe is typically used in the singular form (Singularetantum) or has a plural form identical to the singular.

Q: What does der Erbe mean in English?

The German word der Erbe translates to “heir (m)” in English.

Q: How do you decline der Erbe?

Like all German nouns, Erbe changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are: Nominativ: der Erbe Akkusativ: den Erben Genitiv: des Erben 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.

heir (m)

Plural: die Erben

Strong

Why does the noun Erbe have the article der?

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 Erbe

How it changes across the four cases.

Case	Definite	Indefinite	Negative
Nominativ	der Erbe	ein Erbe	kein Erbe
Akkusativ	den Erben	einen Erben	keinen Erben
Genitiv	des Erben	eines Erben	keines Erben
Nominativ	die Erben	Erben	keine Erben
Akkusativ	die Erben	Erben	keine Erben
Genitiv	der Erben	Erben	keiner Erben

Examples in context

Real sentences using Erbe in different cases.

Case	Definite	Indefinite	Negative
Nominativ	Der junge Erbe ist reich.The young heir is rich.	Ein alter Erbe kommt bald.An old heir is coming soon.	Kein Erbe ist hier bekannt.No heir is known here.
Akkusativ	Ich kenne den jungen Erben.I know the young heir.	Er sucht einen alten Erben.He is looking for an old heir.	Wir wollen keinen Erben sehen.We don't want to see any heir.
Genitiv	Das Haus des jungen Erben ist groß.The house of the young heir is big.	Der Name eines alten Erben ist wichtig.The name of an old heir is important.	Der Grund keines Erben ist bekannt.The reason for no heir is known.
Nominativ	Die jungen Erben sind reich.The young heirs are rich.	Alte Erben kommen bald an.Old heirs are arriving soon.	Keine Erben sind hier bekannt.No heirs are known here.
Akkusativ	Sie kennen die jungen Erben.They know the young heirs.	Wir suchen alte Erben für alle.We are looking for old heirs for everyone.	Ich sehe keine Erben hier.I don't see any heirs here.
Genitiv	Die Häuser der jungen Erben sind groß.The houses of the young heirs are big.	Die Namen alter Erben sind wichtig.The names of old heirs are important.	Der Mangel keiner Erben ist spürbar.The lack of no heirs is noticeable.

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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 Erbe?

It is der Erbe. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Erbe is masculine. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.

What is the plural of der Erbe?

The noun Erbe is typically used in the singular form (Singularetantum) or has a plural form identical to the singular.

What does der Erbe mean in English?

The German word der Erbe translates to “heir (m)” in English.

How do you decline der Erbe?

Like all German nouns, Erbe changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:

Nominativ: der Erbe
Akkusativ: den Erben
Genitiv: des Erben

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.