Why does the noun Malerei 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 Malerei

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativdie Malereieine Malereikeine Malerei
Akkusativdie Malereieine Malereikeine Malerei
Dativder Malereieiner Malereikeiner Malerei
Genitivder Malereieiner Malereikeiner Malerei

Examples in context

Real sentences using Malerei in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Die neue Malerei ist alt.The new painting is old.
Eine schöne Malerei hängt dort.A beautiful painting hangs there.
Keine gute Malerei ist hier.No good painting is here.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe die neue Malerei.I see the new painting.
Er kauft eine schöne Malerei.He buys a beautiful painting.
Sie malt keine gute Malerei.She paints no good painting.
Dativ
Er steht vor der neuen Malerei.He stands in front of the new painting.
Ich denke an einer schönen Malerei.I think of a beautiful painting.
Sie spricht über keiner guten Malerei.She talks about no good painting.
Genitiv
Der Wert der neuen Malerei ist hoch.The value of the new painting is high.
Die Farbe einer schönen Malerei ist blau.The color of a beautiful painting is blue.
Der Stil keiner guten Malerei ist modern.The style of no good painting is modern.

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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 Malerei?

It is die Malerei. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Malerei 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 Malerei?

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

What does die Malerei mean in English?

The German word die Malerei translates to “painting” in English.

How do you decline die Malerei?

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

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.