Why does the noun Medizin have the article die?

Chemical/scientific terms ending in -in (long i sound) are neuter.

Examples

das Benzin (gasoline), das Aspirin (aspirin), das Protein (protein), das Insulin (insulin), das Koffein (caffeine)

Exceptions

die Medizin (medicine) - not a chemical compound

Declension table for German noun Medizin

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativdie Medizineine Medizinkeine Medizin
Akkusativdie Medizineine Medizinkeine Medizin
Dativder Medizineiner Medizinkeiner Medizin
Genitivder Medizineiner Medizinkeiner Medizin

Examples in context

Real sentences using Medizin in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Die neue Medizin ist sehr wichtig.The new medicine is very important.
Eine gute Medizin kommt heute an.A good medicine arrives today.
Es gibt keine Medizin in diesem Bereich.There is no medicine in this area.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe die neue Medizin dort.I see the new medicine there.
Wir suchen eine gute Medizin für das Projekt.We are looking for a good medicine for the project.
Er möchte keine Medizin haben, er ist müde.He doesn't want medicine, he is tired.
Dativ
Ich arbeite mit der neuen Medizin.I work with the new medicine.
Er hilft einer guten Medizin bei der Arbeit.He helps a good medicine with the work.
Sie gibt keiner Medizin eine Chance.She gives no medicine a chance.
Genitiv
Der Beginn der neuen Medizin ist um zehn Uhr.The beginning of the new medicine is at ten o'clock.
Das Ende einer guten Medizin war überraschend.The end of a good medicine was surprising.
Der Zweck keiner Medizin ist unklar.The purpose of no medicine is unclear.

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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 Medizin?

It is die Medizin. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Medizin is feminine. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.

What CEFR level is the word Medizin?

The German noun Medizin is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.

What is the plural of die Medizin?

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

What does die Medizin mean in English?

The German word die Medizin translates to “medicine” in English.

How do you decline die Medizin?

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

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.