Why does the noun Freund have the article der?
Nouns referring to male persons are masculine.
Examples
der Mann (man), der Vater (father), der Bruder (brother), der Sohn (son), der Onkel (uncle), der Neffe (nephew), der Großvater (grandfather)
Declension table for German noun Freund
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Freund | ein Freund | kein Freund |
| Akkusativ | den Freund | einen Freund | keinen Freund |
| Dativ | dem Freund | einem Freund | keinem Freund |
| Genitiv | des Freundes | eines Freundes | keines Freundes |
| Nominativ | die Freunde | Freunde | keine Freunde |
| Akkusativ | die Freunde | Freunde | keine Freunde |
| Dativ | den Freunden | Freunden | keinen Freunden |
| Genitiv | der Freunde | Freunde | keiner Freunde |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Freund in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Der gute Freund kommt aus Berlin.The good friend comes from Berlin. | Ein alter Freund wohnt in der Nähe.An old friend lives nearby. | Kein neuer Freund ist heute hier.No new friend is here today. |
| Akkusativ | Ich sehe den neuen Freund.I see the new friend. | Er hat einen guten Freund.He has a good friend. | Ich brauche keinen falschen Freund.I don't need a false friend. |
| Dativ | Ich helfe dem neuen Freund.I am helping the new friend. | Das Buch gehört einem guten Freund.The book belongs to a good friend. | Ich traue keinem falschen Freund.I trust no false friend. |
| Genitiv | Das ist das Haus des besten Freundes.This is the house of the best friend. | Der Rat eines guten Freundes ist wichtig.The advice of a good friend is important. | Ich erinnere mich keines alten Freundes.I remember no old friend. |
| Nominativ | Die besten Freunde gehen ins Kino.The best friends are going to the cinema. | Gute Freunde spielen Fußball.Good friends are playing football. | Keine alten Freunde sind gekommen.No old friends have come. |
| Akkusativ | Wir besuchen die alten Freunde.We are visiting the old friends. | Sie sucht neue Freunde.She is looking for new friends. | Er hat keine echten Freunde.He has no real friends. |
| Dativ | Wir danken den guten Freunden.We thank the good friends. | Er spricht mit alten Freunden.He is talking with old friends. | Sie hilft keinen neuen Freunden.She helps no new friends. |
| Genitiv | Die Meinung der besten Freunde zählt.The opinion of the best friends counts. | Die Hilfe guter Freunde war super.The help of good friends was great. | Trotz keiner neuen Freunde war er allein.Despite no new friends, he was alone. |
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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 Freund?
It is der Freund. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Freund 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 Freund?
The German noun Freund is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of der Freund?
The plural form of der Freund is die Freunde. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does der Freund mean in English?
The German word der Freund translates to “friend” in English.
How do you decline der Freund?
Like all German nouns, Freund changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: der Freund
- Akkusativ: den Freund
- Dativ: dem Freund
- Genitiv: des Freundes
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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