Singular
der
Hof
courtyard, yard
Plural: die Höfe
Why does the noun Hof have the article der?
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 Hof
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Hof | ein Hof | kein Hof |
| Akkusativ | den Hof | einen Hof | keinen Hof |
| Genitiv | des Hofes | eines Hofes | keines Hofes |
| Nominativ | die Höfe | Höfe | keine Höfe |
| Akkusativ | den Höfen | Höfen | keinen Höfen |
| Genitiv | der Höfe | Höfe | keiner Höfe |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Hof in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Der alte Hof ist groß.The old yard is big. | Ein schöner Hof hat viele Blumen.A beautiful yard has many flowers. | Kein kleiner Hof ist leer.No small yard is empty. |
| Akkusativ | Ich sehe den alten Hof.I see the old yard. | Er besucht einen neuen Hof.He visits a new yard. | Wir haben keinen großen Hof gefunden.We found no big yard. |
| Genitiv | Die Größe des alten Hofes ist beeindruckend.The size of the old yard is impressive. | Der Name eines neuen Hofes ist unbekannt.The name of a new yard is unknown. | Die Geschichte keines großen Hofes ist kurz.The history of no big yard is short. |
| Nominativ | Die neuen Höfe sind sauber.The new yards are clean. | Große Höfe haben Bäume.Large yards have trees. | Keine schönen Höfe sind klein.No beautiful yards are small. |
| Akkusativ | Wir gehen zu den alten Höfen.We go to the old yards. | Er hilft vielen Höfen gern.He gladly helps many yards. | Sie spielt in keinen großen Höfen.She plays in no big yards. |
| Genitiv | Die Schönheit der alten Höfe ist bekannt.The beauty of the old yards is known. | Der Zustand vieler Höfe ist gut.The condition of many yards is good. | Die Sauberkeit keiner neuen Höfe wird gelobt.The cleanliness of no new yards is praised. |
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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 Hof?
It is der Hof. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Hof 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 Hof?
The German noun Hof is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of der Hof?
The plural form of der Hof is die Höfe. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does der Hof mean in English?
The German word der Hof translates to “courtyard, yard” in English.
How do you decline der Hof?
Like all German nouns, Hof changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: der Hof
- Akkusativ: den Hof
- Genitiv: des Hofes
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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