Why does the noun Matratze 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 Matratze

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativdie Matratzeeine Matratzekeine Matratze
Akkusativdie Matratzeeine Matratzekeine Matratze
Dativder Matratzeeiner Matratzekeiner Matratze
Genitivder Matratzeeiner Matratzekeiner Matratze

Examples in context

Real sentences using Matratze in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Die neue Matratze ist weich.The new mattress is soft.
Eine Matratze liegt im Laden.A mattress lies in the shop.
Keine Matratze passt hierher.No mattress fits here.
Akkusativ
Ich kaufe die gute Matratze.I buy the good mattress.
Er braucht eine Matratze.He needs a mattress.
Wir haben keine Matratze.We don't have a mattress.
Dativ
Ich liege auf der alten Matratze.I lie on the old mattress.
Er schläft auf einer Matratze.He sleeps on a mattress.
Mit keiner Matratze bin ich froh.I am happy with no mattress.
Genitiv
Die Farbe der neuen Matratze ist blau.The color of the new mattress is blue.
Der Bezug einer Matratze fehlt.The cover of a mattress is missing.
Die Qualität keiner Matratze ist gut.The quality of no mattress is good.

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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 Matratze?

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

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

What does die Matratze mean in English?

The German word die Matratze translates to “mattress” in English.

How do you decline die Matratze?

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

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.