Why does the noun Fenster have the article das?
Nouns formed from verbs with -er ending are mostly masculine. Look at the bolded -er in the noun above — that suffix is the giveaway.
Examples
der Lehrer (teacher), der Fahrer (driver), der Arbeiter (worker), der Schreiber (writer), der Spieler (player), der Maler (painter)
Exceptions
das Fenster (window), das Wasser (water), die Butter (butter), die Mutter (mother)
Declension table for German noun Fenster
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | das Fenster | ein Fenster | kein Fenster |
| Akkusativ | das Fenster | ein Fenster | kein Fenster |
| Dativ | dem Fenster | einem Fenster | keinem Fenster |
| Genitiv | des Fensters | eines Fensters | keines Fensters |
| Nominativ | die Fenster | Fenster | keine Fenster |
| Akkusativ | die Fenster | Fenster | keine Fenster |
| Dativ | den Fenstern | Fenstern | keinen Fenstern |
| Genitiv | der Fenster | Fenster | keiner Fenster |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Fenster in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Das große Fenster ist offen.The big window is open. | Hier ist ein sauberes Fenster.Here is a clean window. | Kein altes Fenster ist kaputt.No old window is broken. |
| Akkusativ | Ich putze das schmutzige Fenster.I am cleaning the dirty window. | Er öffnet ein kleines Fenster.He opens a small window. | Sie schließt kein offenes Fenster.She closes no open window. |
| Dativ | Er steht an dem neuen Fenster.He is standing at the new window. | Die Katze sitzt vor einem sonnigen Fenster.The cat is sitting in front of a sunny window. | Mit keinem kaputten Fenster kann man sehen.One can see with no broken window. |
| Genitiv | Die Farbe des alten Fensters ist weiß.The color of the old window is white. | Der Griff eines neuen Fensters fehlt.The handle of a new window is missing. | Wegen keines geschlossenen Fensters ist es kalt.It is cold because of no closed window. |
| Nominativ | Die neuen Fenster sind neu.The new windows are new. | Alte Fenster sind oft schön.Old windows are often beautiful. | Keine schmutzigen Fenster sind hier.No dirty windows are here. |
| Akkusativ | Wir sehen die offenen Fenster.We see the open windows. | Er kauft schöne Fenster.He buys beautiful windows. | Ich mag keine schmutzigen Fenster.I don't like any dirty windows. |
| Dativ | Vor den sauberen Fenstern stehen Blumen.There are flowers in front of the clean windows. | Er hilft mit neuen Fenstern.He helps with new windows. | Mit keinen kaputten Fenstern ist das Haus sicher.The house is safe with no broken windows. |
| Genitiv | Die Größe der alten Fenster ist ideal.The size of the old windows is ideal. | Der Preis neuer Fenster ist hoch.The price of new windows is high. | Trotz keiner sauberen Fenster sieht es gut aus.Despite no clean windows, it looks 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 Fenster?
It is das Fenster. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Fenster 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 Fenster?
The German noun Fenster is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of das Fenster?
The plural form of das Fenster is die Fenster. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does das Fenster mean in English?
The German word das Fenster translates to “window” in English.
How do you decline das Fenster?
Like all German nouns, Fenster changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: das Fenster
- Akkusativ: das Fenster
- Dativ: dem Fenster
- Genitiv: des Fensters
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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