Lack

Q: Is it der, die, or das Lack?

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

Q: What is the plural of der Lack?

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

Q: What does der Lack mean in English?

The German word der Lack translates to “varnish/lacquer” in English.

Q: How do you decline der Lack?

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

varnish/lacquer

Plural: die Lacke

Strong

Why does the noun Lack 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 Lack

How it changes across the four cases.

Case	Definite	Indefinite	Negative
Nominativ	der Lack	ein Lack	kein Lack
Akkusativ	den Lack	einen Lack	keinen Lack
Dativ	dem Lack	einem Lack	keinem Lack
Genitiv	des Lackes	eines Lackes	keines Lackes
Nominativ	die Lacke	Lacke	keine Lacke
Akkusativ	die Lacke	Lacke	keine Lacke
Dativ	den Lacken	Lacken	keinen Lacken
Genitiv	der Lacke	Lacke	keiner Lacke

Examples in context

Real sentences using Lack in different cases.

Case	Definite	Indefinite	Negative
Nominativ	Der rote Lack ist schön.The red varnish is beautiful.	Ein neuer Lack glänzt sehr.A new varnish shines a lot.	Kein alter Lack ist mehr da.No old varnish is left.
Akkusativ	Ich brauche den blauen Lack.I need the blue varnish.	Er sucht einen matten Lack.He is looking for a matte varnish.	Wir haben keinen glänzenden Lack.We don't have any glossy varnish.
Dativ	Ich helfe mit dem roten Lack.I help with the red varnish.	Er arbeitet mit einem neuen Lack.He works with a new varnish.	Sie spielt mit keinem guten Lack.She plays with no good varnish.
Genitiv	Die Farbe des roten Lackes ist schön.The color of the red varnish is beautiful.	Der Preis eines guten Lackes ist hoch.The price of a good varnish is high.	Die Qualität keines billigen Lackes ist gut.The quality of no cheap varnish is good.
Nominativ	Die bunten Lacke sind teuer.The colorful varnishes are expensive.	Gute Lacke schützen gut.Good varnishes protect well.	Keine billigen Lacke sind hier.No cheap varnishes are here.
Akkusativ	Sie kauft die neuen Lacke.She buys the new varnishes.	Ich sehe schöne Lacke.I see beautiful varnishes.	Ich finde keine passenden Lacke.I don't find any suitable varnishes.
Dativ	Er spricht über den alten Lacken.He talks about the old varnishes.	Wir arbeiten mit neuen Lacken.We work with new varnishes.	Sie hilft mit keinen passenden Lacken.She helps with no suitable varnishes.
Genitiv	Die Wirkung der neuen Lacke ist stark.The effect of the new varnishes is strong.	Der Zweck guter Lacke ist klar.The purpose of good varnishes is clear.	Der Wert keiner alten Lacke ist bekannt.The value of no old varnishes is known.

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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 Lack?

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

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

What does der Lack mean in English?

The German word der Lack translates to “varnish/lacquer” in English.

How do you decline der Lack?

Like all German nouns, Lack changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:

Nominativ: der Lack
Akkusativ: den Lack
Dativ: dem Lack
Genitiv: des Lackes

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.