Singular
der
Stein
rock, stone
Plural: die Steine
Why does the noun Stein 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 Stein
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Stein | ein Stein | kein Stein |
| Akkusativ | den Stein | einen Stein | keinen Stein |
| Dativ | dem Stein | einem Stein | keinem Stein |
| Genitiv | des Steines | eines Steines | keines Steines |
| Nominativ | die Steine | Steine | keine Steine |
| Dativ | den Steinen | Steinen | keinen Steinen |
| Genitiv | der Steine | Steine | keiner Steine |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Stein in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Der große Stein liegt hier.The large stone lies here. | Ein kleiner Stein ist rund.A small stone is round. | Kein harter Stein ist dabei.No hard stone is included. |
| Akkusativ | Ich sehe den großen Stein.I see the large stone. | Er findet einen kleinen Stein.He finds a small stone. | Wir haben keinen harten Stein.We don't have a hard stone. |
| Dativ | Auf dem großen Stein sitzt er.He sits on the large stone. | Mit einem kleinen Stein spielt er.He plays with a small stone. | Bei keinem harten Stein ist es leicht.It is easy with no hard stone. |
| Genitiv | Die Farbe des großen Steines ist grau.The color of the large stone is gray. | Der Wert eines kleinen Steines ist gering.The value of a small stone is low. | Die Form keines harten Steines ist bekannt.The shape of no hard stone is known. |
| Nominativ | Die alten Steine sind schwer.The old stones are heavy. | Kleine Steine liegen überall.Small stones are everywhere. | Keine großen Steine sind hier.No large stones are here. |
| Dativ | Mit den alten Steinen baut er.He builds with the old stones. | Er arbeitet mit kleinen Steinen.He works with small stones. | Mit keinen großen Steinen geht es.It works with no large stones. |
| Genitiv | Die Oberfläche der alten Steine ist glatt.The surface of the old stones is smooth. | Die Herkunft kleiner Steine ist unklar.The origin of small stones is unclear. | Die Größe keiner großen Steine ist bekannt.The size of no large stones is known. |
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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 Stein?
It is der Stein. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Stein 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 Stein?
The German noun Stein is categorized as Elementary (A2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of der Stein?
The plural form of der Stein is die Steine. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does der Stein mean in English?
The German word der Stein translates to “rock, stone” in English.
How do you decline der Stein?
Like all German nouns, Stein changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: der Stein
- Akkusativ: den Stein
- Dativ: dem Stein
- Genitiv: des Steines
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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