Why does the noun Hund 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 Hund
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Hund | ein Hund | kein Hund |
| Akkusativ | den Hund | einen Hund | keinen Hund |
| Dativ | dem Hund | einem Hund | keinem Hund |
| Genitiv | des Hundes | eines Hundes | keines Hundes |
| Nominativ | die Hunde | Hunde | keine Hunde |
| Akkusativ | die Hunde | Hunde | keine Hunde |
| Dativ | den Hunden | Hunden | keinen Hunden |
| Genitiv | der Hunde | Hunde | keiner Hunde |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Hund in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Der alte Hund schläft.The old dog is sleeping. | Hier ist ein großer Hund.Here is a big dog. | Kein kleiner Hund bellt.No small dog is barking. |
| Akkusativ | Ich sehe den braunen Hund.I see the brown dog. | Er hat einen schwarzen Hund.He has a black dog. | Sie möchte keinen großen Hund.She doesn't want a big dog. |
| Dativ | Ich spiele mit dem kleinen Hund.I am playing with the small dog. | Er hilft einem kranken Hund.He is helping a sick dog. | Das Futter gehört keinem fremden Hund.The food belongs to no strange dog. |
| Genitiv | Das ist das Spielzeug des jungen Hundes.This is the young dog's toy. | Die Farbe eines großen Hundes ist braun.The color of a big dog is brown. | Der Name keines kleinen Hundes ist bekannt.The name of no small dog is known. |
| Nominativ | Die lieben Hunde spielen.The dear dogs are playing. | Viele Hunde sind im Park.Many dogs are in the park. | Keine fremden Hunde sind erlaubt.No strange dogs are allowed. |
| Akkusativ | Wir füttern die hungrigen Hunde.We are feeding the hungry dogs. | Siehst du schnelle Hunde?Do you see fast dogs? | Ich mag keine lauten Hunde.I don't like loud dogs. |
| Dativ | Sie gibt den lieben Hunden Wasser.She gives water to the dear dogs. | Ich gehe mit netten Hunden spazieren.I go for a walk with nice dogs. | Er spielt mit keinen fremden Hunden.He doesn't play with any strange dogs. |
| Genitiv | Die Besitzer der glücklichen Hunde lachen.The owners of the happy dogs are laughing. | Das Bellen vieler Hunde ist laut.The barking of many dogs is loud. | Wegen keiner bellenden Hunde ist es ruhig.Because of no barking dogs, it is quiet. |
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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 Hund?
It is der Hund. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Hund 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 Hund?
The German noun Hund is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of der Hund?
The plural form of der Hund is die Hunde. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does der Hund mean in English?
The German word der Hund translates to “dog” in English.
How do you decline der Hund?
Like all German nouns, Hund changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: der Hund
- Akkusativ: den Hund
- Dativ: dem Hund
- Genitiv: des Hundes
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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