Why does the noun Lied have the article das?
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 Lied
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | das Lied | ein Lied | kein Lied |
| Akkusativ | das Lied | ein Lied | kein Lied |
| Dativ | dem Lied | einem Lied | keinem Lied |
| Genitiv | des Liedes | eines Liedes | keines Liedes |
| Nominativ | die Lieder | Lieder | keine Lieder |
| Akkusativ | die Lieder | Lieder | keine Lieder |
| Dativ | den Liedern | Liedern | keinen Liedern |
| Genitiv | der Lieder | Lieder | keiner Lieder |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Lied in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Das schöne Lied klingt gut.The beautiful song sounds good. | Ein schönes Lied macht Freude.A beautiful song brings joy. | Kein schönes Lied ist zu hören.No beautiful song is to be heard. |
| Akkusativ | Ich singe das schöne Lied.I sing the beautiful song. | Wir hören ein schönes Lied.We hear a beautiful song. | Er mag kein schönes Lied.He doesn't like any beautiful song. |
| Dativ | Ich lausche dem schönen Lied.I listen to the beautiful song. | Man tanzt zu einem schönen Lied.One dances to a beautiful song. | Ich gebe keinem schönen Lied Beachtung.I pay no attention to any beautiful song. |
| Genitiv | Der Text des schönen Liedes ist bekannt.The lyrics of the beautiful song are known. | Die Melodie eines schönen Liedes ist eingängig.The melody of a beautiful song is catchy. | Der Titel keines schönen Liedes ist mir bekannt.The title of no beautiful song is known to me. |
| Nominativ | Die schönen Lieder sind beliebt.The beautiful songs are popular. | Schöne Lieder machen Freude.Beautiful songs bring joy. | Keine schönen Lieder sind zu hören.No beautiful songs are to be heard. |
| Akkusativ | Ich singe die schönen Lieder.I sing the beautiful songs. | Wir hören schöne Lieder.We hear beautiful songs. | Er mag keine schönen Lieder.He doesn't like any beautiful songs. |
| Dativ | Ich lausche den schönen Liedern.I listen to the beautiful songs. | Man tanzt zu schönen Liedern.One dances to beautiful songs. | Ich gebe keinen schönen Liedern Beachtung.I pay no attention to any beautiful songs. |
| Genitiv | Der Text der schönen Lieder ist bekannt.The lyrics of the beautiful songs are known. | Die Melodie schöner Lieder ist eingängig.The melody of beautiful songs is catchy. | Der Titel keiner schönen Lieder ist mir bekannt.The title of no beautiful songs is known to me. |
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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 Lied?
It is das Lied. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Lied is neuter. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.
What CEFR level is the word Lied?
The German noun Lied is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of das Lied?
The plural form of das Lied is die Lieder. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does das Lied mean in English?
The German word das Lied translates to “song” in English.
How do you decline das Lied?
Like all German nouns, Lied changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: das Lied
- Akkusativ: das Lied
- Dativ: dem Lied
- Genitiv: des Liedes
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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