Singular
der
Kollege
colleague
Plural: die Kollegen
Why does the noun Kollege 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 Kollege
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Kollege | ein Kollege | kein Kollege |
| Akkusativ | den Kollegen | einen Kollegen | keinen Kollegen |
| Dativ | dem Kollegen | einem Kollegen | keinem Kollegen |
| Genitiv | des Kollegen | eines Kollegen | keines Kollegen |
| Nominativ | die Kollegen | Kollegen | keine Kollegen |
| Akkusativ | die Kollegen | Kollegen | keine Kollegen |
| Dativ | den Kollegen | Kollegen | keinen Kollegen |
| Genitiv | der Kollegen | Kollegen | keiner Kollegen |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Kollege in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Der neue Kollege ist sehr nett.The new colleague is very nice. | Hier arbeitet ein freundlicher Kollege.A friendly colleague works here. | Kein alter Kollege hat heute Zeit.No old colleague has time today. |
| Akkusativ | Ich sehe den neuen Kollegen.I see the new colleague. | Er sucht einen kompetenten Kollegen.He is looking for a competent colleague. | Ich habe keinen neuen Kollegen hier.I have no new colleague here. |
| Dativ | Ich helfe dem neuen Kollegen.I am helping the new colleague. | Sie spricht mit einem netten Kollegen.She is talking to a nice colleague. | Das Auto gehört keinem alten Kollegen.The car belongs to no old colleague. |
| Genitiv | Das ist das Büro des neuen Kollegen.This is the new colleague's office. | Der Computer eines netten Kollegen ist kaputt.A nice colleague's computer is broken. | Die Idee keines einzigen Kollegen war gut.No single colleague's idea was good. |
| Nominativ | Die neuen Kollegen kommen aus Berlin.The new colleagues come from Berlin. | Das sind gute Kollegen von mir.These are good colleagues of mine. | Keine neuen Kollegen sind im Büro.No new colleagues are in the office. |
| Akkusativ | Er fragt die alten Kollegen.He asks the old colleagues. | Sie hat nette Kollegen in Hamburg.She has nice colleagues in Hamburg. | Wir kennen keine neuen Kollegen.We don't know any new colleagues. |
| Dativ | Wir arbeiten mit den neuen Kollegen.We work with the new colleagues. | Ich lerne von erfahrenen Kollegen.I learn from experienced colleagues. | Er hilft keinen neuen Kollegen.He helps no new colleagues. |
| Genitiv | Die Meinung der neuen Kollegen ist wichtig.The opinion of the new colleagues is important. | Die Arbeit guter Kollegen ist super.The work of good colleagues is great. | Die Hilfe keiner alten Kollegen war nötig.The help of no old colleagues was necessary. |
GET THE APP
Practice der Kollege in the app
Master der Kollege (and 5,000+ other German nouns) with quizzes, smart review, and instant grammar tips.
- 5,000+ nouns with translations in 11 languages
- Quizzes by level, category, or your weakest words
- Snap a photo of any German text — extract nouns instantly
Frequently asked questions
Everything you might wonder about der, die, das — and the Der Artikel app.
Is it der, die, or das Kollege?
It is der Kollege. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Kollege 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 Kollege?
The German noun Kollege is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of der Kollege?
The plural form of der Kollege is die Kollegen. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does der Kollege mean in English?
The German word der Kollege translates to “colleague” in English.
How do you decline der Kollege?
Like all German nouns, Kollege changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: der Kollege
- Akkusativ: den Kollegen
- Dativ: dem Kollegen
- Genitiv: des Kollegen
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.
Browse by level
A1 Beginner — most common everyday nouns
Explore →
Browse by topic
People & Professions
Explore →
BROWSE BY GENDER
Masculine nouns
Explore →
Browse by declension
Weak Take -(e)n in every case except nominative singular.
Explore →