Singular
das
Instrument
instrument
Plural: die Instrumente
Why does the noun Instrument have the article das?
Nouns ending in -ment are neuter. Look at the bolded -ment in the noun above — that suffix is the giveaway.
Examples
das Instrument (instrument), das Dokument (document), das Element (element), das Experiment (experiment), das Argument (argument), das Moment (moment)
Exceptions
der Moment (moment in time) vs das Moment (factor/aspect) - different meanings
Declension table for German noun Instrument
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | das Instrument | ein Instrument | kein Instrument |
| Akkusativ | das Instrument | ein Instrument | kein Instrument |
| Dativ | dem Instrument | einem Instrument | keinem Instrument |
| Genitiv | des Instruments | eines Instruments | keines Instruments |
| Nominativ | die Instrumente | Instrumente | keine Instrumente |
| Akkusativ | die Instrumente | Instrumente | keine Instrumente |
| Dativ | den Instrumenten | Instrumenten | keinen Instrumenten |
| Genitiv | der Instrumente | Instrumente | keiner Instrumente |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Instrument in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Das neue Instrument ist teuer.The new instrument is expensive. | Ein kleines Instrument liegt hier.A small instrument lies here. | Kein großes Instrument ist kaputt.No big instrument is broken. |
| Akkusativ | Ich kaufe das kleine Instrument.I buy the small instrument. | Wir brauchen ein gutes Instrument.We need a good instrument. | Er hat kein großes Instrument.He has no big instrument. |
| Dativ | Ich spiele auf dem kleinen Instrument.I play on the small instrument. | Er hilft einem jungen Instrument.He helps a young instrument. | Sie arbeitet mit keinem großen Instrument.She works with no big instrument. |
| Genitiv | Der Klang des neuen Instruments ist gut.The sound of the new instrument is good. | Der Preis eines kleinen Instruments ist hoch.The price of a small instrument is high. | Der Wert keines großen Instruments ist klar.The value of no big instrument is clear. |
| Nominativ | Die schönen Instrumente sind alt.The beautiful instruments are old. | Musikalische Instrumente sind wichtig.Musical instruments are important. | Keine neuen Instrumente sind billig.No new instruments are cheap. |
| Akkusativ | Wir spielen die alten Instrumente.We play the old instruments. | Sie suchen neue Instrumente.They are looking for new instruments. | Ich kenne keine teuren Instrumente.I don't know any expensive instruments. |
| Dativ | Wir hören den schönen Instrumenten zu.We listen to the beautiful instruments. | Er spielt mit vielen Instrumenten.He plays with many instruments. | Ich gebe keinen alten Instrumenten Namen.I give no old instruments names. |
| Genitiv | Die Namen der schönen Instrumente sind lang.The names of the beautiful instruments are long. | Die Geschichte vieler Instrumente ist alt.The history of many instruments is old. | Die Herkunft keiner alten Instrumente ist bekannt.The origin of no old instruments is known. |
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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 Instrument?
It is das Instrument. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Instrument is neuter. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.
What CEFR level is the word Instrument?
The German noun Instrument is categorized as Elementary (A2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of das Instrument?
The plural form of das Instrument is die Instrumente. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does das Instrument mean in English?
The German word das Instrument translates to “instrument” in English.
How do you decline das Instrument?
Like all German nouns, Instrument changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: das Instrument
- Akkusativ: das Instrument
- Dativ: dem Instrument
- Genitiv: des Instruments
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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Strong Standard declension — no extra -(e)n. The 96% majority.
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