Why does the noun Planet have the article der?

Names of planets and celestial bodies are mostly masculine.

Examples

der Mars, der Jupiter, der Saturn, der Merkur (Mercury), der Mond (moon), der Stern (star), der Planet (planet), der Komet (comet)

Exceptions

die Venus, die Sonne (sun), die Erde (Earth)

Declension table for German noun Planet

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Planetein Planetkein Planet
Akkusativden Planeteneinen Planetenkeinen Planeten
Dativdem Planeteneinem Planetenkeinem Planeten
Genitivdes Planeteneines Planetenkeines Planeten

Examples in context

Real sentences using Planet in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der neue Planet ist groß.The new planet is big.
Ein neuer Planet ist weit weg.A new planet is far away.
Kein großer Planet ist klein.No big planet is small.
Akkusativ
Wir sehen den neuen Planeten.We see the new planet.
Ich suche einen neuen Planeten.I am looking for a new planet.
Er findet keinen kleinen Planeten.He finds no small planet.
Dativ
Wir fliegen zu dem neuen Planeten.We fly to the new planet.
Ich träume von einem neuen Planeten.I dream of a new planet.
Er ist auf keinem kleinen Planeten.He is on no small planet.
Genitiv
Die Oberfläche des neuen Planeten ist kalt.The surface of the new planet is cold.
Die Atmosphäre eines weiten Planeten ist dünn.The atmosphere of a distant planet is thin.
Die Größe keines kleinen Planeten ist bekannt.The size of no small planet is known.

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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 Planet?

It is der Planet. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Planet 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 Planet?

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

What does der Planet mean in English?

The German word der Planet translates to “planet” in English.

How do you decline der Planet?

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

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.