Why does the noun Kommunismus have the article der?

Nouns ending in -ismus (mostly abstract concepts) are always masculine. Look at the bolded -ismus in the noun above — that suffix is the giveaway.

Examples

der Kapitalismus (capitalism), der Kommunismus (communism), der Terrorismus (terrorism), der Tourismus (tourism), der Alkoholismus (alcoholism), der Optimismus (optimism)

Declension table for German noun Kommunismus

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Kommunismusein Kommunismuskein Kommunismus
Akkusativden Kommunismuseinen Kommunismuskeinen Kommunismus
Dativdem Kommunismuseinem Kommunismuskeinem Kommunismus
Genitivdes Kommunismuseines Kommunismuskeines Kommunismus

Examples in context

Real sentences using Kommunismus in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der alte Kommunismus ist eine Idee.The old communism is an idea.
Ein neuer Kommunismus existiert nicht.A new communism does not exist.
Kein echter Kommunismus ist gut.No real communism is good.
Akkusativ
Er kritisiert den alten Kommunismus.He criticizes the old communism.
Sie studiert einen neuen Kommunismus.She studies a new communism.
Wir wollen keinen echten Kommunismus.We want no real communism.
Dativ
Ich spreche über dem alten Kommunismus.I speak about the old communism.
Er glaubt an einem neuen Kommunismus.He believes in a new communism.
Sie stimmt keinem echten Kommunismus zu.She agrees to no real communism.
Genitiv
Die Geschichte des alten Kommunismus ist lang.The history of old communism is long.
Die Idee eines neuen Kommunismus ist komplex.The idea of a new communism is complex.
Ich kenne die Wurzeln keines echten Kommunismus.I know the roots of no real communism.

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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 Kommunismus?

It is der Kommunismus. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Kommunismus 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 Kommunismus?

The German noun Kommunismus is categorized as Upper-Intermediate (B2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.

What is the plural of der Kommunismus?

The noun Kommunismus is typically used in the singular form (Singularetantum) or has a plural form identical to the singular.

What does der Kommunismus mean in English?

The German word der Kommunismus translates to “communism” in English.

How do you decline der Kommunismus?

Like all German nouns, Kommunismus changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
  • Nominativ: der Kommunismus
  • Akkusativ: den Kommunismus
  • Dativ: dem Kommunismus
  • Genitiv: des Kommunismus

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.