Why does the noun Sauberkeit have the article die?

Nouns ending in -keit are always feminine. Look at the bolded -keit in the noun above — that suffix is the giveaway.

Examples

die Möglichkeit (possibility), die Freundlichkeit (friendliness), die Geschwindigkeit (speed), die Schwierigkeit (difficulty), die Fähigkeit (ability)

Declension table for German noun Sauberkeit

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativdie Sauberkeiteine Sauberkeitkeine Sauberkeit
Akkusativdie Sauberkeiteine Sauberkeitkeine Sauberkeit
Dativder Sauberkeiteiner Sauberkeitkeiner Sauberkeit
Genitivder Sauberkeiteiner Sauberkeitkeiner Sauberkeit

Examples in context

Real sentences using Sauberkeit in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Die neue Sauberkeit ist wichtig.The new cleanliness is important.
Eine neue Sauberkeit hilft immer.A new cleanliness always helps.
Keine neue Sauberkeit ist gut.No new cleanliness is good.
Akkusativ
Ich suche die neue Sauberkeit.I am looking for the new cleanliness.
Er braucht eine neue Sauberkeit.He needs a new cleanliness.
Wir haben keine neue Sauberkeit.We have no new cleanliness.
Dativ
Ich gebe der neuen Sauberkeit Raum.I give space to the new cleanliness.
Man gibt einer neuen Sauberkeit Zeit.One gives time to a new cleanliness.
Ich folge keiner neuen Sauberkeit nicht.I don't follow any new cleanliness.
Genitiv
Der Wert der neuen Sauberkeit ist hoch.The value of the new cleanliness is high.
Der Mangel einer neuen Sauberkeit stört.The lack of a new cleanliness disturbs.
Ich bin mir keiner neuen Sauberkeit bewusst.I am not aware of any new cleanliness.

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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 Sauberkeit?

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

What is the plural of die Sauberkeit?

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

What does die Sauberkeit mean in English?

The German word die Sauberkeit translates to “cleanliness” in English.

How do you decline die Sauberkeit?

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

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.