Why does the noun Orkan have the article der?

Most weather phenomena and precipitation types are masculine.

Examples

der Regen (rain), der Schnee (snow), der Hagel (hail), der Nebel (fog), der Frost (frost), der Tau (dew), der Wind (wind), der Sturm (storm), der Donner (thunder), der Blitz (lightning)

Exceptions

die Wolke (cloud), die Sonne (sun)

Declension table for German noun Orkan

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Orkanein Orkankein Orkan
Akkusativden Orkaneinen Orkankeinen Orkan
Dativdem Orkaneinem Orkankeinem Orkan
Genitivdes Orkanseines Orkanskeines Orkans

Examples in context

Real sentences using Orkan in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der starke Orkan wütet heute.The strong hurricane rages today.
Ein heftiger Orkan zieht über das Land.A fierce hurricane sweeps across the country.
Kein gefährlicher Orkan ist gemeldet.No dangerous hurricane is reported.
Akkusativ
Wir sehen den großen Orkan.We see the big hurricane.
Ich fürchte einen heftigen Orkan.I fear a fierce hurricane.
Er erwartet keinen weiteren Orkan.He expects no further hurricane.
Dativ
Nach dem starken Orkan wird es ruhig.After the strong hurricane, it gets quiet.
Mit einem heftigen Orkan rechne ich.I expect a fierce hurricane.
Bei keinem langen Orkan bleiben wir.We stay during no long hurricane.
Genitiv
Die Kraft des starken Orkans ist enorm.The power of the strong hurricane is enormous.
Die Zerstörung eines eines heftigen Orkans ist groß.The destruction of a fierce hurricane is great.
Die Gefahr keines keines weiteren Orkans ist gering.The danger of no further hurricane is low.

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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 Orkan?

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

What is the plural of der Orkan?

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

What does der Orkan mean in English?

The German word der Orkan translates to “hurricane” in English.

How do you decline der Orkan?

Like all German nouns, Orkan changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
  • Nominativ: der Orkan
  • Akkusativ: den Orkan
  • Dativ: dem Orkan
  • Genitiv: des Orkans

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.