Singular
die
Schulter
shoulder
Plural: die Schultern
Why does the noun Schulter have the article die?
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 Schulter
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | die Schulter | eine Schulter | keine Schulter |
| Akkusativ | die Schulter | eine Schulter | keine Schulter |
| Dativ | der Schulter | einer Schulter | keiner Schulter |
| Genitiv | der Schulter | einer Schulter | keiner Schulter |
| Nominativ | die Schultern | Schultern | keine Schultern |
| Akkusativ | die Schultern | Schultern | keine Schultern |
| Dativ | den Schultern | Schultern | keinen Schultern |
| Genitiv | der Schultern | Schultern | keiner Schultern |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Schulter in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Die Schulter tut weh.The shoulder hurts. | Eine Schulter ist verletzt.A shoulder is injured. | Keine Schulter ist gebrochen.No shoulder is broken. |
| Akkusativ | Ich massiere die rechte Schulter.I am massaging the right shoulder. | Er hat eine starke Schulter.He has a strong shoulder. | Sie hat keine verletzte Schulter.She doesn't have an injured shoulder. |
| Dativ | Die Tasche hängt auf der Schulter.The bag is hanging on the shoulder. | Die Last ruht auf einer starken Schulter.The load rests on a strong shoulder. | Er liegt auf keiner weichen Schulter.He is not lying on any soft shoulder. |
| Genitiv | Die Form der Schulter ist normal.The shape of the shoulder is normal. | Das ist die Verletzung einer Schulter.That is the injury of a shoulder. | Trotz keiner starken Schulter hilft er.Despite having no strong shoulder, he helps. |
| Nominativ | Die Schultern sind sehr breit.The shoulders are very broad. | Breite Schultern sind stark.Broad shoulders are strong. | Keine Schultern sind gleich.No shoulders are the same. |
| Akkusativ | Er zuckt die Schultern.He shrugs his shoulders. | Man braucht starke Schultern dafür.One needs strong shoulders for that. | Ich sehe keine breiten Schultern.I don't see any broad shoulders. |
| Dativ | Die Last liegt auf den Schultern.The burden lies on the shoulders. | Mit breiten Schultern trägt er viel.With broad shoulders, he carries a lot. | Auf keinen schwachen Schultern ruht die Verantwortung.Such responsibility does not rest on weak shoulders. |
| Genitiv | Die Bewegung der Schultern ist wichtig.The movement of the shoulders is important. | Die Kraft breiter Schultern ist enorm.The strength of broad shoulders is enormous. | Wegen keiner trainierten Schultern hat er Schmerzen.Because of no trained shoulders, he has pain. |
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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 Schulter?
It is die Schulter. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Schulter is feminine. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.
What CEFR level is the word Schulter?
The German noun Schulter is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of die Schulter?
The plural form of die Schulter is die Schultern. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does die Schulter mean in English?
The German word die Schulter translates to “shoulder” in English.
How do you decline die Schulter?
Like all German nouns, Schulter changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: die Schulter
- Akkusativ: die Schulter
- Dativ: der Schulter
- Genitiv: der Schulter
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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