Singular
die
Substanz
substance
Plural: die Substanzen
Why does the noun Substanz have the article die?
Nouns ending in -anz or -enz are feminine.
Examples
die Eleganz (elegance), die Toleranz (tolerance), die Distanz (distance), die Existenz (existence), die Frequenz (frequency), die Konsequenz (consequence)
Exceptions
der Tanz (dance), der Kranz (wreath), der Schwanz (tail) - monosyllabic words
Declension table for German noun Substanz
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | die Substanz | eine Substanz | keine Substanz |
| Akkusativ | die Substanz | eine Substanz | keine Substanz |
| Dativ | der Substanz | einer Substanz | keiner Substanz |
| Genitiv | der Substanz | einer Substanz | keiner Substanz |
| Nominativ | die Substanzen | Substanzen | keine Substanzen |
| Akkusativ | die Substanzen | Substanzen | keine Substanzen |
| Dativ | den Substanzen | Substanzen | keinen Substanzen |
| Genitiv | der Substanzen | Substanzen | keiner Substanzen |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Substanz in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Die Substanz ist wichtig.The substance is important. | Eine Substanz ist hier.A substance is here. | Keine Substanz ist sichtbar.No substance is visible. |
| Akkusativ | Ich sehe die Substanz.I see the substance. | Er findet eine Substanz.He finds a substance. | Ich sehe keine Substanz.I see no substance. |
| Dativ | Ich arbeite mit der Substanz.I work with the substance. | Er arbeitet mit einer Substanz.He works with a substance. | Ich arbeite mit keiner Substanz.I work with no substance. |
| Genitiv | Die Farbe der Substanz.The color of the substance. | Die Farbe einer Substanz.The color of a substance. | Die Farbe keiner Substanz.The color of no substance. |
| Nominativ | Die Substanzen sind gefährlich.The substances are dangerous. | Neue Substanzen erscheinen oft.New substances often appear. | Keine Substanzen sind hier.No substances are here. |
| Akkusativ | Wir sehen die Substanzen.We see the substances. | Ich sehe viele Substanzen.I see many substances. | Wir sehen keine Substanzen.We see no substances. |
| Dativ | Ich arbeite mit den Substanzen.I work with the substances. | Er arbeitet mit vielen Substanzen.He works with many substances. | Ich arbeite mit keinen Substanzen.I work with no substances. |
| Genitiv | Die Farbe der Substanzen.The color of the substances. | Die Farbe vieler Substanzen.The color of many substances. | Die Farbe keiner Substanzen.The color of no substances. |
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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 Substanz?
It is die Substanz. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Substanz is feminine. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.
What CEFR level is the word Substanz?
The German noun Substanz is categorized as Upper-Intermediate (B2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of die Substanz?
The plural form of die Substanz is die Substanzen. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does die Substanz mean in English?
The German word die Substanz translates to “substance” in English.
How do you decline die Substanz?
Like all German nouns, Substanz changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: die Substanz
- Akkusativ: die Substanz
- Dativ: der Substanz
- Genitiv: der Substanz
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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Strong Standard declension — no extra -(e)n. The 96% majority.
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