Why does the noun Herbst have the article der?
Seasons are masculine.
Examples
der Frühling (spring), der Sommer (summer), der Herbst (autumn), der Winter (winter)
Declension table for German noun Herbst
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Herbst | ein Herbst | kein Herbst |
| Akkusativ | den Herbst | einen Herbst | keinen Herbst |
| Dativ | dem Herbst | einem Herbst | keinem Herbst |
| Genitiv | des Herbstes | eines Herbstes | keines Herbstes |
| Nominativ | die Herbste | Herbste | keine Herbste |
| Akkusativ | die Herbste | Herbste | keine Herbste |
| Dativ | den Herbsten | Herbsten | keinen Herbsten |
| Genitiv | der Herbste | Herbste | keiner Herbste |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Herbst in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Der neue Herbst ist kühl.The new autumn is cool. | Ein schöner Herbst beginnt bald.A beautiful autumn begins soon. | Kein kalter Herbst ist warm.No cold autumn is warm. |
| Akkusativ | Ich liebe den goldenen Herbst sehr.I love the golden autumn very much. | Wir erwarten einen milden Herbst.We expect a mild autumn. | Er mag keinen kalten Herbst.He doesn't like a cold autumn. |
| Dativ | In dem späten Herbst fallen Blätter.In late autumn, leaves fall. | Nach einem milden Herbst kommt der kalte Winter.After a mild autumn comes the cold winter. | In keinem kalten Herbst bleibt es warm.In no cold autumn does it stay warm. |
| Genitiv | Die Farben des goldenen Herbstes sind schön.The colors of the golden autumn are beautiful. | Der Beginn eines neuen Herbstes ist mild.The beginning of a new autumn is mild. | Die Schönheit keines goldenen Herbstes wird besungen.The beauty of no golden autumn is unsung. |
| Nominativ | Die letzten Herbste sind oft regnerisch.The last autumns are often rainy. | Viele Herbste sind schön.Many autumns are beautiful. | Keine Herbste sind gleich.No autumns are the same. |
| Akkusativ | Sie erinnern sich an die schönen Herbste.They remember the beautiful autumns. | Wir erleben viele Herbste hier.We experience many autumns here. | Ich kenne keine Herbste ohne Wind.I don't know any autumns without wind. |
| Dativ | In den letzten Herbsten ist es kühl.In the last autumns it is cool. | Er spricht von vielen Herbsten.He speaks of many autumns. | In keinen milden Herbsten fällt viel Schnee.In no mild autumns does much snow fall. |
| Genitiv | Die Tage der kalten Herbste sind kurz.The days of the cold autumns are short. | Die Erinnerung vieler Herbste ist schön.The memory of many autumns is beautiful. | Die Frische keiner kühlen Herbste belebt.The freshness of no cool autumns is forgotten. |
GET THE APP
Practice der Herbst in the app
Master der Herbst (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
Frequently asked questions
Everything you might wonder about der, die, das — and the Der Artikel app.
Is it der, die, or das Herbst?
It is der Herbst. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Herbst 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 Herbst?
The German noun Herbst is categorized as Elementary (A2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of der Herbst?
The plural form of der Herbst is die Herbste. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does der Herbst mean in English?
The German word der Herbst translates to “autumn” in English.
How do you decline der Herbst?
Like all German nouns, Herbst changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: der Herbst
- Akkusativ: den Herbst
- Dativ: dem Herbst
- Genitiv: des Herbstes
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.
Browse by level
A2 Elementary — daily life vocabulary
Explore →
Browse by topic
Time & Calendar
Explore →
BROWSE BY GENDER
Masculine nouns
Explore →
Browse by declension
Strong Standard declension — no extra -(e)n. The 96% majority.
Explore →