Why does the noun Landkreis 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 Landkreis

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Landkreisein Landkreiskein Landkreis
Akkusativden Landkreiseinen Landkreiskeinen Landkreis
Dativdem Landkreiseinem Landkreiskeinem Landkreis
Genitivdes Landkreiseines Landkreiskeines Landkreis

Examples in context

Real sentences using Landkreis in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der große Landkreis ist schön.The large district is beautiful.
Ein kleiner Landkreis liegt hier.A small district is located here.
Kein Landkreis ist weit.No district is far.
Akkusativ
Ich besuche den großen Landkreis.I visit the large district.
Er sucht einen kleinen Landkreis.He is looking for a small district.
Ich sehe keinen Landkreis.I don't see any district.
Dativ
Ich wohne in dem großen Landkreis.I live in the large district.
Er wohnt in einem kleinen Landkreis.He lives in a small district.
Ich wohne in keinem Landkreis.I live in no district.
Genitiv
Das ist die Karte des großen Landkreises.That is the map of the large district.
Das ist die Grenze eines kleinen Landkreises.That is the border of a small district.
Ich kenne die Geschichte keines Landkreises.I don't know the history of any district.

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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 Landkreis?

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

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

What does der Landkreis mean in English?

The German word der Landkreis translates to “district” in English.

How do you decline der Landkreis?

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

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.