Why does the noun Strich have the article der?

Nouns ending in -ich are masculine.

Examples

der Teppich (carpet), der Pfirsich (peach), der Rettich (radish), der Sittich (parakeet), der Kranich (crane), der Estrich (screed)

Declension table for German noun Strich

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Strichein Strichkein Strich
Akkusativden Stricheinen Strichkeinen Strich
Dativdem Stricheinem Strichkeinem Strich
Genitivdes Stricheseines Stricheskeines Striches

Examples in context

Real sentences using Strich in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der kurze Strich ist gerade.The short line is straight.
Ein kurzer Strich ist einfach.A short line is simple.
Kein kurzer Strich ist hier.No short line is here.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe den kurzen Strich.I see the short line.
Ich mache einen kurzen Strich.I make a short line.
Ich sehe keinen kurzen Strich.I don't see any short line.
Dativ
Ich folge dem kurzen Strich.I follow the short line.
Ich folge einem kurzen Strich.I follow a short line.
Ich folge keinem kurzen Strich.I follow no short line.
Genitiv
Die Länge des kurzen Striches ist bekannt.The length of the short line is known.
Die Länge eines kurzen Striches ist unklar.The length of a short line is unclear.
Die Länge keines kurzen Striches ist bekannt.The length of no short line 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 Strich?

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

What is the plural of der Strich?

The plural form of der Strich is die Striche. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”

What does der Strich mean in English?

The German word der Strich translates to “line, dash” in English.

How do you decline der Strich?

Like all German nouns, Strich changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
  • Nominativ: der Strich
  • Akkusativ: den Strich
  • Dativ: dem Strich
  • Genitiv: des Striches

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.