Why does the noun Radfahren have the article das?

Nominalized infinitives (verbs used as nouns) are always neuter.

Examples

das Essen (eating/food), das Trinken (drinking), das Lesen (reading), das Schreiben (writing), das Leben (life), das Schwimmen (swimming)

Exceptions

No exceptions when truly nominalized

Declension table for German noun Radfahren

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativdas Radfahrenein Radfahrenkein Radfahren
Akkusativdas Radfahrenein Radfahrenkein Radfahren
Dativdem Radfahreneinem Radfahrenkeinem Radfahren
Genitivdes Radfahreneines Radfahrenkeines Radfahren

Examples in context

Real sentences using Radfahren in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Das schnelle Radfahren ist gesund.Fast cycling is healthy.
Ein neues Radfahren ist mein Hobby.A new cycling is my hobby.
Kein Radfahren ist langweilig.No cycling is boring.
Akkusativ
Ich mag das schnelle Radfahren.I like fast cycling.
Er lernt ein neues Radfahren.He is learning a new cycling.
Wir machen kein Radfahren heute.We are not cycling today.
Dativ
Ich widme mich dem Radfahren.I dedicate myself to cycling.
Er widmet sich einem Radfahren.He dedicates himself to a cycling activity.
Sie gibt keinem Radfahren eine Chance.She gives no cycling activity a chance.
Genitiv
Der Vorteil des Radfahrens ist klar.The advantage of cycling is clear.
Der Beginn eines Radfahrens war schwer.The beginning of a cycling activity was difficult.
Der Zweck keines Radfahrens ist bekannt.The purpose of no cycling activity 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 Radfahren?

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

What is the plural of das Radfahren?

The noun Radfahren is typically used in the singular form (Singularetantum) or has a plural form identical to the singular.

What does das Radfahren mean in English?

The German word das Radfahren translates to “cycling” in English.

How do you decline das Radfahren?

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

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.