Why does the noun Spiegel 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 Spiegel
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Spiegel | ein Spiegel | kein Spiegel |
| Akkusativ | den Spiegel | einen Spiegel | keinen Spiegel |
| Dativ | dem Spiegel | einem Spiegel | keinem Spiegel |
| Genitiv | des Spiegels | eines Spiegels | keines Spiegels |
| Nominativ | die Spiegel | Spiegel | keine Spiegel |
| Akkusativ | die Spiegel | Spiegel | keine Spiegel |
| Dativ | den Spiegeln | Spiegeln | keinen Spiegeln |
| Genitiv | der Spiegel | Spiegel | keiner Spiegel |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Spiegel in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Der große Spiegel ist neu.The large mirror is new. | Ein großer Spiegel ist neu.A large mirror is new. | Kein großer Spiegel ist neu.No large mirror is new. |
| Akkusativ | Ich sehe den großen Spiegel.I see the large mirror. | Ich brauche einen großen Spiegel.I need a large mirror. | Ich habe keinen großen Spiegel.I have no large mirror. |
| Dativ | Ich stehe vor dem großen Spiegel.I stand in front of the large mirror. | Ich stehe vor einem großen Spiegel.I stand in front of a large mirror. | Ich stehe vor keinem großen Spiegel.I stand in front of no large mirror. |
| Genitiv | Die Oberfläche des großen Spiegels ist sauber.The surface of the large mirror is clean. | Die Oberfläche eines großen Spiegels ist sauber.The surface of a large mirror is clean. | Die Oberfläche keines großen Spiegels ist sauber.The surface of no large mirror is clean. |
| Nominativ | Die großen Spiegel sind neu.The large mirrors are new. | Große Spiegel sind neu.Large mirrors are new. | Keine großen Spiegel sind neu.No large mirrors are new. |
| Akkusativ | Wir kaufen die großen Spiegel.We buy the large mirrors. | Wir suchen große Spiegel.We are looking for large mirrors. | Wir finden keine großen Spiegel.We find no large mirrors. |
| Dativ | Ich stehe vor den großen Spiegeln.I stand in front of the large mirrors. | Ich stehe vor großen Spiegeln.I stand in front of large mirrors. | Ich stehe vor keinen großen Spiegeln.I stand in front of no large mirrors. |
| Genitiv | Die Oberfläche der großen Spiegel ist sauber.The surface of the large mirrors is clean. | Die Oberfläche großer Spiegel ist sauber.The surface of large mirrors is clean. | Die Oberfläche keiner großen Spiegel ist sauber.The surface of no large mirrors is clean. |
GET THE APP
Practice der Spiegel in the app
Master der Spiegel (and 5,000+ other German nouns) with quizzes, smart review, and instant grammar tips.
- 5,000+ nouns with translations in 11 languages
- Quizzes by level, category, or your weakest words
- Snap a photo of any German text — extract nouns instantly
Frequently asked questions
Everything you might wonder about der, die, das — and the Der Artikel app.
Is it der, die, or das Spiegel?
It is der Spiegel. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Spiegel 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 Spiegel?
The German noun Spiegel is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of der Spiegel?
The plural form of der Spiegel is die Spiegel. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does der Spiegel mean in English?
The German word der Spiegel translates to “mirror” in English.
How do you decline der Spiegel?
Like all German nouns, Spiegel changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: der Spiegel
- Akkusativ: den Spiegel
- Dativ: dem Spiegel
- Genitiv: des Spiegels
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.
Browse by level
A1 Beginner — most common everyday nouns
Explore →
Browse by topic
Furniture & Household
Explore →
BROWSE BY GENDER
Masculine nouns
Explore →
Browse by declension
Strong Standard declension — no extra -(e)n. The 96% majority.
Explore →