Why does the noun Mate 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 Mate

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativdie Mateeine Matekeine Mate
Akkusativdie Mateeine Matekeine Mate
Dativder Mateeiner Matekeiner Mate
Genitivder Mateeiner Matekeiner Mate

Examples in context

Real sentences using Mate in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Die neue Mate ist sehr kalt.The new Mate is very cold.
Eine neue Mate steht auf dem Tisch.A new Mate stands on the table.
Keine neue Mate ist mehr da.No new Mate is left.
Akkusativ
Ich trinke gern die neue Mate.I like to drink the new Mate.
Er bestellt eine neue Mate.He orders a new Mate.
Wir haben keine neue Mate mehr.We don't have any new Mate left.
Dativ
Ich bin mit der neuen Mate zufrieden.I am satisfied with the new Mate.
Ich gebe einer neuen Mate einen Strohhalm.I give a new Mate a straw.
Ich gebe keiner neuen Mate einen Strohhalm.I give no new Mate a straw.
Genitiv
Der Preis der neuen Mate ist hoch.The price of the new Mate is high.
Der Geschmack einer neuen Mate ist gut.The taste of a new Mate is good.
Der Wert keiner neuen Mate ist bekannt.The value of no new Mate 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 Mate?

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

The noun Mate is typically used in the singular form (Singularetantum) or has a plural form identical to the singular.

What does die Mate mean in English?

The German word die Mate translates to “mate” in English.

How do you decline die Mate?

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

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.