Why does the noun James 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 James
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der James | ein James | kein James |
| Akkusativ | den James | einen James | keinen James |
| Dativ | dem James | einem James | keinem James |
| Genitiv | des James | eines James | keines James |
| Nominativ | die James | James | keine James |
| Akkusativ | die James | James | keine James |
| Dativ | den James | James | keinen James |
| Genitiv | der James | James | keiner James |
Examples in context
Real sentences using James in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Der nette James kommt heute.The nice James is coming today. | Ein James ist hier, glaube ich.A James is here, I think. | Kein James hat das gesagt.No James said that. |
| Akkusativ | Ich sehe den jungen James dort.I see the young James there. | Ich suche einen James hier.I'm looking for a James here. | Ich kenne keinen James hier.I know no James here. |
| Dativ | Ich spreche mit dem alten James.I'm talking to the old James. | Ich helfe einem James gern.I like to help a James. | Ich gebe keinem James das Buch.I give no James the book. |
| Genitiv | Das Auto des James ist rot.James's car is red. | Das Buch eines James fehlt.A James's book is missing. | Die Tasche keines James ist hier.No James's bag is here. |
| Nominativ | Die netten James sind hier.The nice Jameses are here. | Viele James sind heute gekommen.Many Jameses came today. | Keine James haben das gehört.No Jameses heard that. |
| Akkusativ | Ich sehe die jungen James dort.I see the young Jameses there. | Ich suche bekannte James hier.I'm looking for well-known Jameses here. | Ich kenne keine James hier.I know no Jameses here. |
| Dativ | Ich spreche mit den James.I'm talking to the Jameses. | Ich helfe vielen James gern.I like to help many Jameses. | Ich gebe keinen James das Buch.I give no Jameses the book. |
| Genitiv | Die Autos der James sind rot.The Jameses' cars are red. | Die Bücher vieler James fehlen.Many Jameses' books are missing. | Die Taschen keiner James sind hier.No Jameses' bags are here. |
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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 James?
It is der James. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and James is masculine. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.
What is the plural of der James?
The noun James is typically used in the singular form (Singularetantum) or has a plural form identical to the singular.
What does der James mean in English?
The German word der James translates to “James” in English.
How do you decline der James?
Like all German nouns, James changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: der James
- Akkusativ: den James
- Dativ: dem James
- Genitiv: des James
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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