Why does the noun Tanz have the article der?

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 Tanz

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Tanzein Tanzkein Tanz
Akkusativden Tanzeinen Tanzkeinen Tanz
Dativdem Tanzeinem Tanzkeinem Tanz
Genitivdes Tanzeseines Tanzeskeines Tanzes

Examples in context

Real sentences using Tanz in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der schöne Tanz ist sehr beliebt.The beautiful dance is very popular.
Ein neuer Tanz beginnt jetzt.A new dance begins now.
Kein alter Tanz gefällt mir.No old dance pleases me.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe den schönen Tanz gern.I like to watch the beautiful dance.
Wir lernen einen neuen Tanz.We are learning a new dance.
Er mag keinen alten Tanz.He doesn't like any old dance.
Dativ
Ich folge dem schönen Tanz.I follow the beautiful dance.
Sie gibt einem neuen Tanz eine Chance.She gives a new dance a chance.
Er widmet keinem alten Tanz Zeit.He dedicates no time to any old dance.
Genitiv
Das Ende des schönen Tanzes ist nah.The end of the beautiful dance is near.
Der Beginn eines neuen Tanzes ist spannend.The beginning of a new dance is exciting.
Die Musik keines alten Tanzes ist gut.The music of no old dance is good.

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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 Tanz?

It is der Tanz. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Tanz 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 Tanz?

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

What does der Tanz mean in English?

The German word der Tanz translates to “dance” in English.

How do you decline der Tanz?

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

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.