Why does the noun Schinken 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 Schinken

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Schinkenein Schinkenkein Schinken
Akkusativden Schinkeneinen Schinkenkeinen Schinken
Dativdem Schinkeneinem Schinkenkeinem Schinken
Genitivdes Schinkenseines Schinkenskeines Schinkens

Examples in context

Real sentences using Schinken in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der frische Schinken ist lecker.The fresh ham is delicious.
Ein großer Schinken liegt hier.A large ham lies here.
Kein guter Schinken ist übrig.No good ham is left.
Akkusativ
Ich esse den ganzen Schinken.I eat the whole ham.
Er kauft einen kleinen Schinken.He buys a small ham.
Wir haben keinen neuen Schinken.We have no new ham.
Dativ
Mit dem alten Schinken schmeckt es.It tastes good with the old ham.
Ich gebe einem neuen Schinken eine Chance.I give a new ham a chance.
Mit keinem guten Schinken geht es.It works with no good ham.
Genitiv
Der Preis des frischen Schinkens ist hoch.The price of the fresh ham is high.
Der Geruch eines guten Schinkens ist stark.The smell of a good ham is strong.
Der Wert keines alten Schinkens ist bekannt.The value of no old ham 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 Schinken?

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

The German noun Schinken is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.

What is the plural of der Schinken?

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

What does der Schinken mean in English?

The German word der Schinken translates to “ham” in English.

How do you decline der Schinken?

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

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.