Why does the noun Meer 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 Meer
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | das Meer | ein Meer | kein Meer |
| Akkusativ | das Meer | ein Meer | kein Meer |
| Dativ | dem Meer | einem Meer | keinem Meer |
| Genitiv | des Meeres | eines Meeres | keines Meeres |
| Nominativ | die Meere | Meere | keine Meere |
| Akkusativ | die Meere | Meere | keine Meere |
| Dativ | den Meeren | Meeren | keinen Meeren |
| Genitiv | der Meere | Meere | keiner Meere |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Meer in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Das blaue Meer ist schön.The blue sea is beautiful. | Vor uns liegt ein ruhiges Meer.A calm sea lies before us. | Kein kaltes Meer ist hier in der Nähe.No cold sea is nearby here. |
| Akkusativ | Ich sehe das weite Meer.I see the wide sea. | Wir überqueren ein stürmisches Meer.We are crossing a stormy sea. | Er mag kein offenes Meer.He doesn't like any open sea. |
| Dativ | Wir schwimmen in dem tiefen Meer.We swim in the deep sea. | Das Schiff fährt auf einem ruhigen Meer.The ship sails on a calm sea. | Das ist mit keinem kleinen Meer vergleichbar.This is comparable to no small sea. |
| Genitiv | Die Farbe des blauen Meeres ist schön.The color of the blue sea is beautiful. | Der Klang eines wilden Meeres ist laut.The sound of a wild sea is loud. | Trotz keines nahen Meeres weht ein frischer Wind.Despite no nearby sea, a fresh wind blows. |
| Nominativ | Die großen Meere sind tief.The great seas are deep. | Tiefe Meere sind geheimnisvoll.Deep seas are mysterious. | Keine warmen Meere sind im Norden.No warm seas are in the north. |
| Akkusativ | Sie liebt die blauen Meere.She loves the blue seas. | Er erforscht fremde Meere.He explores foreign seas. | Wir sehen keine salzigen Meere vom Berg.We see no salty seas from the mountain. |
| Dativ | Fische leben in den kalten Meeren.Fish live in the cold seas. | Er reist zu verschiedenen Meeren.He travels to different seas. | In keinen warmen Meeren leben Pinguine.Penguins live in no warm seas. |
| Genitiv | Die Tiefe der tiefen Meere ist unbekannt.The depth of the deep seas is unknown. | Die Erforschung großer Meere dauert an.The exploration of great seas continues. | Trotz keiner fernen Meere ist die Luft salzig.Despite no distant seas, the air is salty. |
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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 Meer?
It is das Meer. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Meer 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 Meer?
The German noun Meer is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of das Meer?
The plural form of das Meer is die Meere. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does das Meer mean in English?
The German word das Meer translates to “sea, ocean” in English.
How do you decline das Meer?
Like all German nouns, Meer changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: das Meer
- Akkusativ: das Meer
- Dativ: dem Meer
- Genitiv: des Meeres
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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