Singular
der
Ruf
reputation, call
Plural: die Rufe
Why does the noun Ruf have the article der?
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 Ruf
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Ruf | ein Ruf | kein Ruf |
| Akkusativ | den Ruf | einen Ruf | keinen Ruf |
| Dativ | dem Ruf | einem Ruf | keinem Ruf |
| Genitiv | des Rufes | eines Rufes | keines Rufes |
| Nominativ | die Rufe | Rufe | keine Rufe |
| Akkusativ | die Rufe | Rufe | keine Rufe |
| Dativ | den Rufen | Rufen | keinen Rufen |
| Genitiv | der Rufe | Rufe | keiner Rufe |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Ruf in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Der Ruf ist gut.The call is good. | Ein Ruf kommt von dort.A call comes from there. | Kein Ruf ist hier zu hören.No call is to be heard here. |
| Akkusativ | Ich höre den Ruf.I hear the call. | Er sendet einen Ruf.He sends a call. | Ich höre keinen Ruf.I hear no call. |
| Dativ | Ich folge dem Ruf.I follow the call. | Er antwortet einem Ruf.He answers a call. | Ich folge keinem Ruf.I follow no call. |
| Genitiv | Die Stärke des Rufes.The strength of the call. | Die Stärke eines Rufes.The strength of a call. | Die Stärke keines Rufes.The strength of no call. |
| Nominativ | Die Rufe sind laut.The calls are loud. | Laute Rufe kommen herein.Loud calls come in. | Keine Rufe stören uns.No calls disturb us. |
| Akkusativ | Wir hören die Rufe.We hear the calls. | Ich höre viele Rufe.I hear many calls. | Ich höre keine Rufe.I hear no calls. |
| Dativ | Ich folge den Rufen.I follow the calls. | Er lauscht vielen Rufen.He listens to many calls. | Ich folge keinen Rufen.I follow no calls. |
| Genitiv | Die Stärke der Rufe.The strength of the calls. | Die Stärke vieler Rufe.The strength of many calls. | Die Stärke keiner Rufe.The strength of no calls. |
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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 Ruf?
It is der Ruf. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Ruf is masculine. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.
What CEFR level is the word Ruf?
The German noun Ruf is categorized as Upper-Intermediate (B2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of der Ruf?
The plural form of der Ruf is die Rufe. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does der Ruf mean in English?
The German word der Ruf translates to “reputation, call” in English.
How do you decline der Ruf?
Like all German nouns, Ruf changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: der Ruf
- Akkusativ: den Ruf
- Dativ: dem Ruf
- Genitiv: des Rufes
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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