Singular
der
Schmetterling
butterfly
Plural: die Schmetterlinge
Why does the noun Schmetterling have the article der?
Nouns ending in -ling are masculine. Look at the bolded -ling in the noun above — that suffix is the giveaway.
Examples
der Lehrling (apprentice), der Flüchtling (refugee), der Liebling (darling), der Schmetterling (butterfly), der Feigling (coward), der Fremdling (stranger), der Frühling (spring)
Exceptions
das Peeling, das Bowling (English loanwords with -ing)
Declension table for German noun Schmetterling
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Schmetterling | ein Schmetterling | kein Schmetterling |
| Akkusativ | den Schmetterling | einen Schmetterling | keinen Schmetterling |
| Dativ | dem Schmetterling | einem Schmetterling | keinem Schmetterling |
| Genitiv | des Schmetterlings | eines Schmetterlings | keines Schmetterlings |
| Nominativ | die Schmetterlinge | Schmetterlinge | keine Schmetterlinge |
| Akkusativ | die Schmetterlinge | Schmetterlinge | keine Schmetterlinge |
| Dativ | den Schmetterlingen | Schmetterlingen | keinen Schmetterlingen |
| Genitiv | der Schmetterlinge | Schmetterlinge | keiner Schmetterlinge |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Schmetterling in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Der schöne Schmetterling fliegt.The beautiful butterfly flies. | Ein bunter Schmetterling sitzt dort.A colorful butterfly sits there. | Kein großer Schmetterling ist hier.No big butterfly is here. |
| Akkusativ | Ich sehe den schönen Schmetterling.I see the beautiful butterfly. | Sie fängt einen bunten Schmetterling.She catches a colorful butterfly. | Er findet keinen großen Schmetterling.He finds no big butterfly. |
| Dativ | Ich gebe dem durstigen Schmetterling Nektar.I give nectar to the thirsty butterfly. | Er hilft einem kleinen Schmetterling.He helps a small butterfly. | Ich traue keinem gefährlichen Schmetterling.I don't trust any dangerous butterfly. |
| Genitiv | Die Flügel des schönen Schmetterlings sind groß.The wings of the beautiful butterfly are big. | Die Farbe eines bunten Schmetterlings ist schön.The color of a colorful butterfly is beautiful. | Der Name keines seltenen Schmetterlings ist bekannt.The name of no rare butterfly is known. |
| Nominativ | Die kleinen Schmetterlinge sind bunt.The small butterflies are colorful. | Zarte Schmetterlinge tanzen im Wind.Delicate butterflies dance in the wind. | Keine seltenen Schmetterlinge sind zu sehen.No rare butterflies are visible. |
| Akkusativ | Wir beobachten die flinken Schmetterlinge.We observe the agile butterflies. | Ich mag zarte Schmetterlinge.I like delicate butterflies. | Sie sehen keine neuen Schmetterlinge mehr.They don't see any new butterflies anymore. |
| Dativ | Wir folgen den bunten Schmetterlingen.We follow the colorful butterflies. | Er spricht mit schönen Schmetterlingen.He talks to beautiful butterflies. | Sie geben keinen hungrigen Schmetterlingen Futter.They give no food to hungry butterflies. |
| Genitiv | Die Muster der bunten Schmetterlinge sind einzigartig.The patterns of the colorful butterflies are unique. | Das Leben zarter Schmetterlinge ist kurz.The life of delicate butterflies is short. | Der Schutz keiner gefährdeten Schmetterlinge ist wichtig.The protection of no endangered butterflies is important. |
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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 Schmetterling?
It is der Schmetterling. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Schmetterling 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 Schmetterling?
The German noun Schmetterling is categorized as Elementary (A2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of der Schmetterling?
The plural form of der Schmetterling is die Schmetterlinge. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does der Schmetterling mean in English?
The German word der Schmetterling translates to “butterfly” in English.
How do you decline der Schmetterling?
Like all German nouns, Schmetterling changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: der Schmetterling
- Akkusativ: den Schmetterling
- Dativ: dem Schmetterling
- Genitiv: des Schmetterlings
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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