Schwan

Q: Is it der, die, or das Schwan?

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

Q: What is the plural of der Schwan?

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

Q: What does der Schwan mean in English?

The German word der Schwan translates to “swan” in English.

Q: How do you decline der Schwan?

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

swan

Plural: die Schwäne

Mixed

Why does the noun Schwan 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 Schwan

How it changes across the four cases.

Case	Definite	Indefinite	Negative
Nominativ	der Schwan	ein Schwan	kein Schwan
Akkusativ	den Schwan	einen Schwan	keinen Schwan
Dativ	dem Schwan	einem Schwan	keinem Schwan
Genitiv	des Schwanes	eines Schwanes	keines Schwanes
Nominativ	die Schwäne	Schwäne	keine Schwäne
Akkusativ	die Schwäne	Schwäne	keine Schwäne
Dativ	den Schwänen	Schwänen	keinen Schwänen
Genitiv	der Schwäne	Schwäne	keiner Schwäne

Examples in context

Real sentences using Schwan in different cases.

Case	Definite	Indefinite	Negative
Nominativ	Der schöne Schwan schwimmt elegant.The beautiful swan swims elegantly.	Ein schöner Schwan fliegt vorbei.A beautiful swan flies by.	Kein Schwan ist am Himmel.No swan is in the sky.
Akkusativ	Ich sehe den schönen Schwan.I see the beautiful swan.	Er hat einen schönen Schwan.He has a beautiful swan.	Wir haben keinen Schwan gesehen.We haven't seen any swan.
Dativ	Ich gebe dem schönen Schwan Futter.I give food to the beautiful swan.	Er hilft einem schönen Schwan.He helps a beautiful swan.	Ich spreche mit keinem Schwan.I don't speak with any swan.
Genitiv	Das Nest des schönen Schwanes ist groß.The nest of the beautiful swan is big.	Die Flügel eines schönen Schwanes sind weiß.The wings of a beautiful swan are white.	Die Größe keines Schwanes ist egal.The size of no swan matters.
Nominativ	Die schönen Schwäne schwimmen ruhig.The beautiful swans swim calmly.	Schöne Schwäne schwimmen im See.Beautiful swans swim in the lake.	Keine Schwäne sind zu sehen.No swans are to be seen.
Akkusativ	Wir füttern die schönen Schwäne.We feed the beautiful swans.	Ich mag schöne Schwäne sehr.I like beautiful swans very much.	Sie sehen keine Schwäne dort.They don't see any swans there.
Dativ	Ich gebe den schönen Schwänen Futter.I give food to the beautiful swans.	Er hilft schönen Schwänen oft.He often helps beautiful swans.	Ich spreche mit keinen Schwänen.I don't speak with any swans.
Genitiv	Die Federn der schönen Schwäne sind weiß.The feathers of the beautiful swans are white.	Die Stimmen schöner Schwäne sind laut.The voices of beautiful swans are loud.	Die Nester keiner Schwäne sind klein.The nests of no swans are small.

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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 Schwan?

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

What is the plural of der Schwan?

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

What does der Schwan mean in English?

The German word der Schwan translates to “swan” in English.

How do you decline der Schwan?

Like all German nouns, Schwan changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:

Nominativ: der Schwan
Akkusativ: den Schwan
Dativ: dem Schwan
Genitiv: des Schwanes

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.