Why does the noun Kriminalpolizei have the article die?

Nouns ending in -ei are feminine.

Examples

die Bäckerei (bakery), die Metzgerei (butcher shop), die Bücherei (library), die Datei (file), die Partei (party), die Türkei (Turkey)

Declension table for German noun Kriminalpolizei

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativdie Kriminalpolizeieine Kriminalpolizeikeine Kriminalpolizei
Akkusativdie Kriminalpolizeieine Kriminalpolizeikeine Kriminalpolizei
Dativder Kriminalpolizeieiner Kriminalpolizeikeiner Kriminalpolizei
Genitivder Kriminalpolizeieiner Kriminalpolizeikeiner Kriminalpolizei

Examples in context

Real sentences using Kriminalpolizei in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Die Kriminalpolizei arbeitet schnell.The criminal police work quickly.
Eine neue Kriminalpolizei wird gegründet.A new criminal police force is being founded.
Keine Kriminalpolizei ist hier zuständig.No criminal police are responsible here.
Akkusativ
Wir rufen die Kriminalpolizei an.We call the criminal police.
Man braucht eine gute Kriminalpolizei.One needs a good criminal police force.
Ich sehe keine Kriminalpolizei hier.I see no criminal police here.
Dativ
Ich helfe der Kriminalpolizei gern.I gladly help the criminal police.
Er spricht mit einer einfachen Kriminalpolizei.He talks with a simple criminal police officer.
Wir arbeiten mit keiner Kriminalpolizei.We work with no criminal police.
Genitiv
Die Arbeit der Kriminalpolizei ist wichtig.The work of the criminal police is important.
Die Aufgabe einer guten Kriminalpolizei ist schwer.The task of a good criminal police force is difficult.
Die Hilfe keiner Kriminalpolizei ist nötig.The help of no criminal police is necessary.

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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 Kriminalpolizei?

It is die Kriminalpolizei. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Kriminalpolizei is feminine. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.

What is the plural of die Kriminalpolizei?

The plural form of die Kriminalpolizei is die Kriminalpolizeien. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”

What does die Kriminalpolizei mean in English?

The German word die Kriminalpolizei translates to “criminal investigation department” in English.

How do you decline die Kriminalpolizei?

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

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.