Singular
die
Erkenntnis
realization, discovery
Plural: die Erkenntnisse
Why does the noun Erkenntnis have the article die?
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 Erkenntnis
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | die Erkenntnis | eine Erkenntnis | keine Erkenntnis |
| Akkusativ | die Erkenntnis | eine Erkenntnis | keine Erkenntnis |
| Dativ | der Erkenntnis | einer Erkenntnis | keiner Erkenntnis |
| Genitiv | der Erkenntnis | einer Erkenntnis | keiner Erkenntnis |
| Nominativ | die Erkenntnisse | Erkenntnisse | keine Erkenntnisse |
| Akkusativ | die Erkenntnisse | Erkenntnisse | keine Erkenntnisse |
| Dativ | den Erkenntnissen | Erkenntnissen | keinen Erkenntnissen |
| Genitiv | der Erkenntnisse | Erkenntnisse | keiner Erkenntnisse |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Erkenntnis in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Die wichtige Erkenntnis kam ziemlich spät.The important realization came quite late. | Das war eine wichtige Erkenntnis für mich.That was an important realization for me. | Leider ist das keine wichtige Erkenntnis.Unfortunately, that is not an important realization. |
| Akkusativ | Ich teile die wichtige Erkenntnis mit dir.I am sharing the important insight with you. | Er hatte plötzlich eine wichtige Erkenntnis.He suddenly had an important insight. | Wir haben keine wichtige Erkenntnis gewonnen.We have gained no important insight. |
| Dativ | Dank der wichtigen Erkenntnis verstehen wir mehr.Thanks to the important insight, we understand more. | Er kam zu einer wichtigen Erkenntnis.He came to an important realization. | Mit keiner wichtigen Erkenntnis kann ich leben.I can live with no important realization. |
| Genitiv | Das ist der Wert der wichtigen Erkenntnis.That is the value of the important insight. | Trotz einer wichtigen Erkenntnis änderte er nichts.Despite an important insight, he changed nothing. | Das Ergebnis keiner wichtigen Erkenntnis ist Stillstand.The result of no important insight is stagnation. |
| Nominativ | Die wichtigen Erkenntnisse sind wertvoll.The important findings are valuable. | Wichtige Erkenntnisse veränderten die Forschung.Important findings changed the research. | Keine wichtigen Erkenntnisse wurden veröffentlicht.No important findings were published. |
| Akkusativ | Er präsentiert die wichtigen Erkenntnisse.He presents the important findings. | Die Studie liefert wichtige Erkenntnisse.The study provides important findings. | Ich erwarte keine wichtigen Erkenntnisse mehr.I no longer expect any important findings. |
| Dativ | Wir arbeiten mit den wichtigen Erkenntnissen.We are working with the important findings. | Das Buch basiert auf wichtigen Erkenntnissen.The book is based on important findings. | Er glaubt keinen wichtigen Erkenntnissen.He believes no important findings. |
| Genitiv | Die Summe der wichtigen Erkenntnisse ist groß.The sum of the important findings is large. | Die Veröffentlichung wichtiger Erkenntnisse steht bevor.The publication of important findings is imminent. | Trotz keiner wichtigen Erkenntnisse machen wir weiter.Despite no important findings, we continue. |
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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 Erkenntnis?
It is die Erkenntnis. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Erkenntnis 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 Erkenntnis?
The German noun Erkenntnis is categorized as Intermediate (B1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of die Erkenntnis?
The plural form of die Erkenntnis is die Erkenntnisse. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does die Erkenntnis mean in English?
The German word die Erkenntnis translates to “realization, discovery” in English.
How do you decline die Erkenntnis?
Like all German nouns, Erkenntnis changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: die Erkenntnis
- Akkusativ: die Erkenntnis
- Dativ: der Erkenntnis
- Genitiv: der Erkenntnis
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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