Why does the noun Tafel have the article die?

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 Tafel

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativdie Tafeleine Tafelkeine Tafel
Akkusativdie Tafeleine Tafelkeine Tafel
Dativder Tafeleiner Tafelkeiner Tafel
Genitivder Tafeleiner Tafelkeiner Tafel

Examples in context

Real sentences using Tafel in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Die große Tafel ist neu.The big board is new.
Eine neue Tafel hängt hier.A new board hangs here.
Keine Tafel ist im Raum.No board is in the room.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe die große Tafel.I see the big board.
Er kauft eine schöne Tafel.He buys a beautiful board.
Ich habe keine Tafel.I have no board.
Dativ
Ich schreibe an der Tafel.I write on the board.
Ich sitze an einer kleinen Tafel.I sit at a small board.
Ich arbeite an keiner Tafel.I work at no board.
Genitiv
Die Farbe der Tafel ist blau.The color of the board is blue.
Der Preis einer Tafel ist hoch.The price of a board is high.
Der Wert keiner Tafel ist bekannt.The value of no board 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 Tafel?

It is die Tafel. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Tafel 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 Tafel?

The German noun Tafel is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.

What is the plural of die Tafel?

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

What does die Tafel mean in English?

The German word die Tafel translates to “board, table” in English.

How do you decline die Tafel?

Like all German nouns, Tafel changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
  • Nominativ: die Tafel
  • Akkusativ: die Tafel
  • Dativ: der Tafel
  • Genitiv: der Tafel

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.