Singular
der
Sinn
sense, meaning
Plural: die Sinne
Why does the noun Sinn 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 Sinn
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Sinn | ein Sinn | kein Sinn |
| Akkusativ | den Sinn | einen Sinn | keinen Sinn |
| Dativ | dem Sinn | einen Sinn | keinem Sinn |
| Genitiv | des Sinnes | eines Sinnes | keines Sinnes |
| Nominativ | die Sinne | Sinne | keine Sinne |
| Akkusativ | die Sinne | Sinne | keine Sinne |
| Dativ | den Sinnen | Sinnen | keinen Sinnen |
| Genitiv | der Sinne | Sinne | keiner Sinne |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Sinn in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Der tiefe Sinn ist klar.The deep meaning is clear. | Das ist ein guter Sinn.That is a good point. | Kein wahrer Sinn ist erkennbar.No true meaning is recognizable. |
| Akkusativ | Ich verstehe den eigentlichen Sinn.I understand the actual meaning. | Das muss einen tiefen Sinn haben.That must have a deep meaning. | Ich sehe keinen besonderen Sinn darin.I see no particular point in that. |
| Dativ | Ich folge dem wahren Sinn.I follow the true meaning. | Gib dem Leben einen neuen Sinn.Give life a new meaning. | Das folgt keinem logischen Sinn.That follows no logical sense. |
| Genitiv | Die Frage des tiefen Sinnes bleibt.The question of the deep meaning remains. | Das ist die Suche eines neuen Sinnes.That is the search for a new meaning. | Das ist bar keines vernünftigen Sinnes.That is devoid of any reasonable sense. |
| Nominativ | Die menschlichen Sinne sind wichtig.The human senses are important. | Er hat feine Sinne.He has fine senses. | Hier gibt es keine tiefen Sinne.There are no deep meanings here. |
| Akkusativ | Er nutzt die alten Sinne.He uses all the senses. | Das weckt neue Sinne.That awakens new senses. | Er hat keine guten Sinne dafür.He has no good senses for that. |
| Dativ | Ich vertraue den eigenen Sinnen.I trust my own senses. | Er arbeitet mit verschiedenen Sinnen.He works with different senses. | Man kann keinen menschlichen Sinnen trauen.One cannot trust any human senses. |
| Genitiv | Das ist die Welt der menschlichen Sinne.That is the world of the human senses. | Ein Spiel verschiedener Sinne beginnt.A game of different senses begins. | Die Schärfe keiner wichtigen Sinne lässt nach.The sharpness of no important senses is fading. |
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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 Sinn?
It is der Sinn. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Sinn 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 Sinn?
The German noun Sinn is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of der Sinn?
The plural form of der Sinn is die Sinne. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does der Sinn mean in English?
The German word der Sinn translates to “sense, meaning” in English.
How do you decline der Sinn?
Like all German nouns, Sinn changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: der Sinn
- Akkusativ: den Sinn
- Dativ: dem Sinn
- Genitiv: des Sinnes
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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