Why does the noun Kind have the article das?
Nouns referring to young humans or animals are often neuter.
Examples
das Kind (child), das Baby (baby), das Lamm (lamb), das Kalb (calf), das Fohlen (foal), das Ferkel (piglet), das Küken (chick)
Exceptions
der Welpe (puppy - male), die Larve (larva)
Declension table for German noun Kind
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | das Kind | ein Kind | kein Kind |
| Akkusativ | das Kind | ein Kind | kein Kind |
| Dativ | dem Kind | einem Kind | keinem Kind |
| Genitiv | des Kindes | eines Kindes | keines Kindes |
| Nominativ | die Kinder | Kinder | keine Kinder |
| Akkusativ | die Kinder | Kinder | keine Kinder |
| Dativ | den Kindern | Kindern | keinen Kindern |
| Genitiv | der Kinder | Kinder | keiner Kinder |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Kind in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Das kleine Kind spielt.The little child is playing. | Das ist ein liebes Kind.That is a dear child. | Das ist kein böses Kind.That is no mean child. |
| Akkusativ | Ich sehe das kleine Kind.I see the little child. | Er sucht ein armes Kind.He is looking for a poor child. | Wir hören kein lautes Kind.We hear no loud child. |
| Dativ | Ich danke dem guten Kind.I thank the good child. | Er gibt einem kleinen Kind ein Spielzeug.He gives a toy to a little child. | Wir antworten keinem lauten Kind.We answer no loud child. |
| Genitiv | Das Spielzeug des kleinen Kindes ist neu.The toy of the little child is new. | Das Lachen eines frohen Kindes ist schön.The laughter of a happy child is beautiful. | Die Hilfe keines fremden Kindes war gut.The help of no foreign child was good. |
| Nominativ | Die frohen Kinder lachen.The happy children are laughing. | Viele Kinder sind dort.Many children are there. | Keine fremden Kinder sind hier.No foreign children are here. |
| Akkusativ | Ich rufe die kranken Kinder.I call the sick children. | Sie liebt kleine Kinder.She loves little children. | Wir sehen keine fremden Kinder.We see no foreign children. |
| Dativ | Sie hilft den armen Kindern.She helps the poor children. | Wir schenken vielen Kindern Bücher.We give books to many children. | Er spielt mit keinen bösen Kindern.He plays with no mean children. |
| Genitiv | Die Erziehung der kleinen Kinder ist wichtig.The education of the small children is important. | Die Freude vieler Kinder ist groß.The joy of many children is great. | Die Meinung keiner bösen Kinder zählt.The opinion of no mean children counts. |
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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 Kind?
It is das Kind. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Kind 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 Kind?
The German noun Kind is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of das Kind?
The plural form of das Kind is die Kinder. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does das Kind mean in English?
The German word das Kind translates to “child” in English.
How do you decline das Kind?
Like all German nouns, Kind changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: das Kind
- Akkusativ: das Kind
- Dativ: dem Kind
- Genitiv: des Kindes
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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