Why does the noun Hauptstadt have the article die?

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 Hauptstadt

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativdie Hauptstadteine Hauptstadtkeine Hauptstadt
Akkusativdie Hauptstadteine Hauptstadtkeine Hauptstadt
Dativder Hauptstadteiner Hauptstadtkeiner Hauptstadt
Genitivder Hauptstadteiner Hauptstadtkeiner Hauptstadt

Examples in context

Real sentences using Hauptstadt in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Die große Hauptstadt ist Berlin.The big capital is Berlin.
Eine neue Hauptstadt wird gebaut.A new capital is being built.
Keine kleine Hauptstadt gibt es hier.There is no small capital here.
Akkusativ
Ich besuche die deutsche Hauptstadt.I visit the German capital.
Wir suchen eine interessante Hauptstadt.We are looking for an interesting capital.
Er kennt keine schöne Hauptstadt.He knows no beautiful capital.
Dativ
Ich wohne in der großen Hauptstadt.I live in the big capital.
Er fährt zu einer kleinen Hauptstadt.He drives to a small capital.
Sie kommt aus keiner alten Hauptstadt.She does not come from an old capital.
Genitiv
Die Geschichte der alten Hauptstadt ist lang.The history of the old capital is long.
Der Name einer neuen Hauptstadt ist wichtig.The name of a new capital is important.
Die Lage keiner kleinen Hauptstadt ist gut.The location of no small capital is good.

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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 Hauptstadt?

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

What CEFR level is the word Hauptstadt?

The German noun Hauptstadt is categorized as Elementary (A2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.

What is the plural of die Hauptstadt?

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

What does die Hauptstadt mean in English?

The German word die Hauptstadt translates to “capital city” in English.

How do you decline die Hauptstadt?

Like all German nouns, Hauptstadt changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
  • Nominativ: die Hauptstadt
  • Akkusativ: die Hauptstadt
  • Dativ: der Hauptstadt
  • Genitiv: der Hauptstadt

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.