Why does the noun Schritt 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 Schritt

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Schrittein Schrittkein Schritt
Akkusativden Schritteinen Schrittkeinen Schritt
Dativdem Schritteinem Schrittkeinem Schritt
Genitivdes Schritteseines Schritteskeines Schrittes

Examples in context

Real sentences using Schritt in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der erste Schritt ist schwer.The first step is hard.
Ein kleiner Schritt hilft schon.A small step already helps.
Kein großer Schritt ist nötig.No big step is necessary.
Akkusativ
Ich mache den ersten Schritt.I am taking the first step.
Wir wagen einen mutigen Schritt.We are daring a brave step.
Er macht keinen einzigen Schritt.He doesn't take a single step.
Dativ
Mit dem ersten Schritt beginnt es.It begins with the first step.
Ich helfe dir bei einem schweren Schritt.I'll help you with a difficult step.
Nach keinem einzigen Schritt war er müde.He was tired after not a single step.
Genitiv
Das Ergebnis des ersten Schrittes ist gut.The result of the first step is good.
Die Länge eines normalen Schrittes variiert.The length of a normal step varies.
Trotz keines falschen Schrittes war er unsicher.Despite no wrong step, he was unsure.

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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 Schritt?

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

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

What is the plural of der Schritt?

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

What does der Schritt mean in English?

The German word der Schritt translates to “step” in English.

How do you decline der Schritt?

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

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.