Why does the noun Stau 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 Stau
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Stau | ein Stau | kein Stau |
| Akkusativ | den Stau | einen Stau | keinen Stau |
| Dativ | dem Stau | einem Stau | keinem Stau |
| Genitiv | des Staus | eines Staus | keines Staus |
| Nominativ | die Staus | Staus | keine Staus |
| Akkusativ | die Staus | Staus | keine Staus |
| Dativ | den Staus | Staus | keinen Staus |
| Genitiv | der Staus | Staus | keiner Staus |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Stau in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Der lange Stau nervt mich.The long traffic jam annoys me. | Ein unerwarteter Stau blockiert alles.An unexpected traffic jam blocks everything. | Kein Stau ist heute zu sehen.No traffic jam is visible today. |
| Akkusativ | Ich hasse den morgendlichen Stau.I hate the morning traffic jam. | Wir sehen einen riesigen Stau.We see a huge traffic jam. | Er will keinen Stau erleben.He doesn't want to experience any traffic jam. |
| Dativ | Ich stehe in dem dichten Stau.I am in the dense traffic jam. | Er steckt in einem schlimmen Stau.He is stuck in a bad traffic jam. | Sie rechnet mit keinem Stau heute.She doesn't count on any traffic jam today. |
| Genitiv | Die Ursache des langen Staus ist unklar.The cause of the long traffic jam is unclear. | Die Dauer eines Staus ist unklar.The duration of a traffic jam is unclear. | Die Länge keines Staus ist bekannt.The length of no traffic jam is known. |
| Nominativ | Die vielen Staus sind ärgerlich.The many traffic jams are annoying. | Staus sind hier normal.Traffic jams are normal here. | Keine Staus sind mehr gemeldet.No more traffic jams are reported. |
| Akkusativ | Sie umfahren die langen Staus.They bypass the long traffic jams. | Wir erwarten Staus am Wochenende.We expect traffic jams on the weekend. | Ich sehe keine weiteren Staus.I see no further traffic jams. |
| Dativ | Wir sprechen über den vielen Staus.We talk about the many traffic jams. | Er hilft bei Staus oft.He often helps with traffic jams. | Ich rechne mit keinen Staus mehr.I don't count on any more traffic jams. |
| Genitiv | Die Gründe der Staus sind vielfältig.The reasons for the traffic jams are diverse. | Die Vermeidung von Staus ist wichtig.Avoiding traffic jams is important. | Die Ursache keiner Staus ist klar.The cause of no traffic jams is clear. |
GET THE APP
Practice der Stau in the app
Master der Stau (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 Stau?
It is der Stau. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Stau 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 Stau?
The German noun Stau is categorized as Elementary (A2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of der Stau?
The plural form of der Stau is die Staus. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does der Stau mean in English?
The German word der Stau translates to “traffic jam” in English.
How do you decline der Stau?
Like all German nouns, Stau changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: der Stau
- Akkusativ: den Stau
- Dativ: dem Stau
- Genitiv: des Staus
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
A2 Elementary — daily life vocabulary
Explore →
Browse by topic
Transportation
Explore →
BROWSE BY GENDER
Masculine nouns
Explore →
Browse by declension
Strong Standard declension — no extra -(e)n. The 96% majority.
Explore →