Why does the noun Fluss 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 Fluss

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Flussein Flusskein Fluss
Akkusativden Flusseinen Flusskeinen Fluss
Dativdem Flusseinem Flusskeinem Fluss
Genitivdes Flusseseines Flusseskeines Flusses

Examples in context

Real sentences using Fluss in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der lange Fluss ist schön.The long river is beautiful.
Ein breiter Fluss fließt hier.A wide river flows here.
Kein kleiner Fluss ist bekannt.No small river is known.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe den langen Fluss.I see the long river.
Er überquert einen breiten Fluss.He crosses a wide river.
Wir sehen keinen kleinen Fluss.We don't see any small river.
Dativ
Ich schwimme in dem langen Fluss.I swim in the long river.
Er angelt in einem breiten Fluss.He fishes in a wide river.
Ich bin in keinem kleinen Fluss.I am not in any small river.
Genitiv
Das Ufer des langen Flusses ist grün.The bank of the long river is green.
Die Breite eines breiten Flusses ist groß.The width of a wide river is great.
Die Quelle keines kleinen Flusses ist bekannt.The source of no small river is known.

GET THE APP

Practice der Fluss in the app

Master der Fluss (and 5,000+ other German nouns) with quizzes, smart review, and instant grammar tips.

  • 5,000+ nouns with translations in 11 languages
  • Quizzes by level, category, or your weakest words
  • Snap a photo of any German text — extract nouns instantly
Der Artikel app — quiz screen Der Artikel app — grammar rule tooltip

Frequently asked questions

Everything you might wonder about der, die, das — and the Der Artikel app.

Is it der, die, or das Fluss?

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

What CEFR level is the word Fluss?

The German noun Fluss is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.

What is the plural of der Fluss?

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

What does der Fluss mean in English?

The German word der Fluss translates to “river” in English.

How do you decline der Fluss?

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

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.