Why does the noun Pflicht have the article die?

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 Pflicht

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativdie Pflichteine Pflichtkeine Pflicht
Akkusativdie Pflichteine Pflichtkeine Pflicht
Dativder Pflichteiner Pflichtkeiner Pflicht
Genitivder Pflichteiner Pflichtkeiner Pflicht

Examples in context

Real sentences using Pflicht in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Die neue Pflicht ist wichtig.The new duty is important.
Eine große Pflicht beginnt heute.A great duty begins today.
Keine kleine Pflicht gibt es hier.There is no small duty here.
Akkusativ
Ich erfülle die neue Pflicht.I fulfill the new duty.
Wir haben eine große Pflicht.We have a great duty.
Er hat keine schwere Pflicht.He has no difficult duty.
Dativ
Ich widme mich der neuen Pflicht.I dedicate myself to the new duty.
Er hilft bei einer kleinen Pflicht.He helps with a small duty.
Sie entzieht sich keiner wichtigen Pflicht.She evades no important duty.
Genitiv
Die Erfüllung der neuen Pflicht ist wichtig.The fulfillment of the new duty is important.
Der Sinn einer guten Pflicht ist klar.The meaning of a good duty is clear.
Die Last keiner schweren Pflicht fehlt.The burden of no difficult duty is missing.

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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 Pflicht?

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

The German noun Pflicht is categorized as Elementary (A2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.

What is the plural of die Pflicht?

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

What does die Pflicht mean in English?

The German word die Pflicht translates to “duty” in English.

How do you decline die Pflicht?

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

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.