Why does the noun Hahn have the article der?

Nouns specifically referring to male animals are masculine.

Examples

der Hahn (rooster), der Stier (bull), der Hengst (stallion), der Eber (boar), der Kater (tomcat), der Bock (billy goat)

Declension table for German noun Hahn

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Hahnein Hahnkein Hahn
Akkusativden Hahneinen Hahnkeinen Hahn
Dativdem Hahneinem Hahnkeinem Hahn
Genitivdes Hahneseines Hahneskeines Hahnes

Examples in context

Real sentences using Hahn in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der große Hahn kräht laut.The big rooster crows loudly.
Ein roter Hahn weckt uns.A red rooster wakes us up.
Kein Hahn ist im Stall.No rooster is in the stable.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe den schönen Hahn.I see the beautiful rooster.
Er hat einen alten Hahn.He has an old rooster.
Wir finden keinen Hahn.We don't find any rooster.
Dativ
Ich gebe dem hungrigen Hahn Futter.I give food to the hungry rooster.
Er hilft einem kranken Hahn.He helps a sick rooster.
Ich spreche mit keinem Hahn.I don't speak with any rooster.
Genitiv
Der Kamm des alten Hahnes ist rot.The comb of the old rooster is red.
Die Federn eines jungen Hahnes sind schön.The feathers of a young rooster are beautiful.
Der Wert keines Hahnes ist unbekannt.The value of no rooster is unknown.

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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 Hahn?

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

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

What does der Hahn mean in English?

The German word der Hahn translates to “rooster” in English.

How do you decline der Hahn?

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

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.