Why does the noun Fingernagel 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 Fingernagel

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Fingernagelein Fingernagelkein Fingernagel
Akkusativden Fingernageleinen Fingernagelkeinen Fingernagel
Dativdem Fingernageleinem Fingernagelkeinem Fingernagel
Genitivdes Fingernagelseines Fingernagelskeines Fingernagels

Examples in context

Real sentences using Fingernagel in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der saubere Fingernagel ist sauber.The clean fingernail is clean.
Ein langer Fingernagel ist kaputt.A long fingernail is broken.
Kein kurzer Fingernagel fehlt hier.No short fingernail is missing here.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe den kleinen Fingernagel.I see the small fingernail.
Er hat einen langen Fingernagel.He has a long fingernail.
Wir brauchen keinen neuen Fingernagel mehr.We don't need any new fingernail anymore.
Dativ
An dem kleinen Fingernagel ist Schmutz.There is dirt on the small fingernail.
Mit einem neuen Fingernagel kann man kratzen.One can scratch with a new fingernail.
Ich gebe keinem großen Fingernagel Farbe.I don't give any big fingernail color.
Genitiv
Die Farbe des kleinen Fingernagels ist rot.The color of the small fingernail is red.
Der Bruch eines langen Fingernagels ist ärgerlich.The break of a long fingernail is annoying.
Die Form keines großen Fingernagels ist perfekt.The shape of no big fingernail is perfect.

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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 Fingernagel?

It is der Fingernagel. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Fingernagel 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 Fingernagel?

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

What does der Fingernagel mean in English?

The German word der Fingernagel translates to “fingernail” in English.

How do you decline der Fingernagel?

Like all German nouns, Fingernagel changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
  • Nominativ: der Fingernagel
  • Akkusativ: den Fingernagel
  • Dativ: dem Fingernagel
  • Genitiv: des Fingernagels

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.