Singular
das
Gymnasium
secondary school
Plural: die Gymnasien
Why does the noun Gymnasium have the article das?
Nouns ending in -um (Latin origin) are neuter. Look at the bolded -um in the noun above — that suffix is the giveaway.
Examples
das Museum (museum), das Zentrum (center), das Datum (date), das Album (album), das Stadium (stadium), das Aquarium (aquarium), das Publikum (audience)
Declension table for German noun Gymnasium
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | das Gymnasium | ein Gymnasium | kein Gymnasium |
| Akkusativ | das Gymnasium | ein Gymnasium | kein Gymnasium |
| Dativ | dem Gymnasium | einem Gymnasium | keinem Gymnasium |
| Genitiv | des Gymnasiums | eines Gymnasiums | keines Gymnasiums |
| Nominativ | die Gymnasien | Gymnasien | keine Gymnasien |
| Akkusativ | die Gymnasien | Gymnasien | keine Gymnasien |
| Dativ | den Gymnasien | Gymnasien | keinen Gymnasien |
| Genitiv | der Gymnasien | Gymnasien | keiner Gymnasien |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Gymnasium in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Das neue Gymnasium ist groß.The new gymnasium is big. | Ein gutes Gymnasium hilft Schülern.A good gymnasium helps students. | Kein altes Gymnasium steht hier.No old gymnasium stands here. |
| Akkusativ | Ich besuche das große Gymnasium gern.I like to visit the big gymnasium. | Wir suchen ein gutes Gymnasium jetzt.We are looking for a good gymnasium now. | Er findet kein altes Gymnasium mehr.He doesn't find any old gymnasium anymore. |
| Dativ | Ich helfe dem neuen Gymnasium immer.I always help the new gymnasium. | Sie arbeitet in einem großen Gymnasium.She works in a big gymnasium. | Er geht zu keinem alten Gymnasium.He doesn't go to any old gymnasium. |
| Genitiv | Der Name des neuen Gymnasiums ist lang.The name of the new gymnasium is long. | Die Lage eines großen Gymnasiums ist wichtig.The location of a big gymnasium is important. | Der Plan keines alten Gymnasiums ist fertig.The plan of no old gymnasium is ready. |
| Nominativ | Die modernen Gymnasien sind teuer.The modern gymnasiums are expensive. | Schöne Gymnasien öffnen bald.Beautiful gymnasiums open soon. | Keine neuen Gymnasien bauen sie.They are not building any new gymnasiums. |
| Akkusativ | Sie besuchen die modernen Gymnasien oft.They often visit the modern gymnasiums. | Ich sehe schöne Gymnasien dort.I see beautiful gymnasiums there. | Wir haben keine neuen Gymnasien hier.We don't have any new gymnasiums here. |
| Dativ | Wir lernen in den modernen Gymnasien.We learn in the modern gymnasiums. | Sie hilft guten Gymnasien oft.She often helps good gymnasiums. | Ich spreche mit keinen neuen Gymnasien.I don't speak with any new gymnasiums. |
| Genitiv | Die Regeln der modernen Gymnasien sind klar.The rules of the modern gymnasiums are clear. | Die Zukunft schöner Gymnasien ist hell.The future of beautiful gymnasiums is bright. | Die Probleme keiner neuen Gymnasien sind bekannt.The problems of no new gymnasiums are known. |
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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 Gymnasium?
It is das Gymnasium. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Gymnasium 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 Gymnasium?
The German noun Gymnasium is categorized as Elementary (A2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of das Gymnasium?
The plural form of das Gymnasium is die Gymnasien. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does das Gymnasium mean in English?
The German word das Gymnasium translates to “secondary school” in English.
How do you decline das Gymnasium?
Like all German nouns, Gymnasium changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: das Gymnasium
- Akkusativ: das Gymnasium
- Dativ: dem Gymnasium
- Genitiv: des Gymnasiums
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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