Why does the noun Silber have the article das?

Most metals and chemical elements are neuter.

Examples

das Gold (gold), das Silber (silver), das Eisen (iron), das Kupfer (copper), das Aluminium (aluminum), das Uran (uranium), das Blei (lead)

Exceptions

der Stahl (steel), der Schwefel (sulfur), der Phosphor (phosphorus), die Bronze (bronze)

Declension table for German noun Silber

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativdas Silberein Silberkein Silber
Akkusativdas Silberein Silberkein Silber
Dativdem Silbereinem Silberkeinem Silber
Genitivdes Silberseines Silberskeines Silbers

Examples in context

Real sentences using Silber in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Das teuere Silber ist {adj}.The expensive silver is bright.
Ein teueres Silber ist {adj}.An expensive silver is beautiful.
Kein teueres Silber ist hier.No expensive silver is here.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe das teuere Silber.I see the expensive silver.
Wir brauchen ein teueres Silber.We need an expensive silver.
Ich habe kein teueres Silber.I have no expensive silver.
Dativ
Ich gebe dem teueren Silber Wert.I give value to the expensive silver.
Ich helfe einem teueren Silber.I help an expensive silver.
Ich spreche mit keinem teueren Silber.I speak with no expensive silver.
Genitiv
Der Preis des teueren Silbers ist hoch.The price of the expensive silver is high.
Der Wert eines teueren Silbers ist gut.The value of an expensive silver is good.
Die Farbe keines teueren Silbers ist nicht klar.The color of no expensive silver is not clear.

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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 Silber?

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

What CEFR level is the word Silber?

The German noun Silber is categorized as Elementary (A2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.

What is the plural of das Silber?

The noun Silber is typically used in the singular form (Singularetantum) or has a plural form identical to the singular.

What does das Silber mean in English?

The German word das Silber translates to “silver” in English.

How do you decline das Silber?

Like all German nouns, Silber changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
  • Nominativ: das Silber
  • Akkusativ: das Silber
  • Dativ: dem Silber
  • Genitiv: des Silbers

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.