Why does the noun Lampe have the article die?
About 90% of nouns ending in -e are feminine.
Examples
die Lampe (lamp), die Schule (school), die Tasche (bag), die Klasse (class), die Straße (street), die Sonne (sun), die Blume (flower)
Exceptions
der Junge (boy), der Löwe (lion), der Affe (monkey), der Name (name), der Käse (cheese), das Ende (end), das Auge (eye)
Declension table for German noun Lampe
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | die Lampe | eine Lampe | keine Lampe |
| Akkusativ | die Lampe | eine Lampe | keine Lampe |
| Dativ | der Lampe | einer Lampe | keiner Lampe |
| Genitiv | der Lampe | einer Lampe | keiner Lampe |
| Nominativ | die Lampen | Lampen | keine Lampen |
| Akkusativ | die Lampen | Lampen | keine Lampen |
| Dativ | den Lampen | Lampen | keinen Lampen |
| Genitiv | der Lampen | Lampen | keiner Lampen |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Lampe in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Die neue Lampe ist hell.The new lamp is bright. | Eine kleine Lampe steht hier.A small lamp stands here. | Keine alte Lampe funktioniert.No old lamp works. |
| Akkusativ | Ich brauche die neue Lampe.I need the new lamp. | Er kauft eine schöne Lampe.He buys a beautiful lamp. | Sie hat keine große Lampe.She has no large lamp. |
| Dativ | Ich gebe der kaputten Lampe eine neue Birne.I give the broken lamp a new bulb. | Er sitzt unter einer großen Lampe.He sits under a large lamp. | Sie arbeitet an keiner defekten Lampe.She doesn't work on any defective lamp. |
| Genitiv | Das Licht der großen Lampe ist warm.The light of the large lamp is warm. | Der Schirm einer neuen Lampe ist bunt.The shade of a new lamp is colorful. | Die Helligkeit keiner kleinen Lampe reicht.The brightness of no small lamp is enough. |
| Nominativ | Die beiden Lampen sind kaputt.Both lamps are broken. | Viele Lampen leuchten schön.Many lamps shine beautifully. | Keine großen Lampen sind billig.No large lamps are cheap. |
| Akkusativ | Wir sehen die viele Lampen im Geschäft.We see many lamps in the store. | Ich suche helle Lampen für mein Haus.I am looking for bright lamps for my house. | Er mag keine dunklen Lampen.He doesn't like dark lamps with shadows. |
| Dativ | Ich bin mit den neuen Lampen zufrieden.I am satisfied with the new lamps. | Er spielt mit kleinen Lampen.He plays with small lamps. | Sie spricht von keinen alten Lampen.She speaks of no old lamps. |
| Genitiv | Die Glühbirnen der alten Lampen sind teuer.The light bulbs of the old lamps are expensive. | Die Designs vieler Lampen sind modern.The designs of many lamps are modern. | Die Funktion keiner kaputten Lampen ist klar.The function of no broken lamps is clear. |
Frequently asked questions
Everything you might wonder about der, die, das — and the Der Artikel app.
Is it der, die, or das Lampe?
It is die Lampe. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Lampe is feminine. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.
What CEFR level is the word Lampe?
The German noun Lampe is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of die Lampe?
The plural form of die Lampe is die Lampen. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does die Lampe mean in English?
The German word die Lampe translates to “lamp” in English.
How do you decline die Lampe?
Like all German nouns, Lampe changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: die Lampe
- Akkusativ: die Lampe
- Dativ: der Lampe
- Genitiv: der Lampe
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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Strong Standard declension — no extra -(e)n. The 96% majority.
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