Singular
das
Telefon
telephone
Plural: die Telefone
Why does the noun Telefon have the article das?
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 Telefon
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | das Telefon | ein Telefon | kein Telefon |
| Akkusativ | das Telefon | ein Telefon | kein Telefon |
| Dativ | dem Telefon | einem Telefon | keinem Telefon |
| Genitiv | des Telefons | eines Telefons | keines Telefons |
| Nominativ | die Telefone | Telefone | keine Telefone |
| Akkusativ | die Telefone | Telefone | keine Telefone |
| Dativ | den Telefonen | Telefonen | keinen Telefonen |
| Genitiv | der Telefone | Telefone | keiner Telefone |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Telefon in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Das neue Telefon ist modern.The new phone is modern. | Ein altes Telefon klingelt laut.An old phone rings loudly. | Kein kaputtes Telefon funktioniert hier.No broken phone works here. |
| Akkusativ | Ich kaufe das neue Telefon.I buy the new phone. | Er sucht ein altes Telefon.He is looking for an old phone. | Wir haben kein kaputtes Telefon.We don't have a broken phone. |
| Dativ | Ich telefoniere mit dem neuen Telefon.I make a call with the new phone. | Er arbeitet an einem alten Telefon.He works on an old phone. | Ich telefoniere mit keinem kaputten Telefon.I don't make calls with any broken phone. |
| Genitiv | Die Farbe des neuen Telefons ist blau.The color of the new phone is blue. | Der Akku eines alten Telefons ist leer.The battery of an old phone is empty. | Die Reparatur keines kaputten Telefons ist teuer.The repair of no broken phone is expensive. |
| Nominativ | Die modernen Telefone sind neu.The modern phones are new. | Viele Telefone klingeln gleichzeitig.Many phones ring simultaneously. | Keine kaputten Telefone funktionieren heute.No broken phones work today. |
| Akkusativ | Sie reparieren die alten Telefone.They repair the old phones. | Ich kaufe viele Telefone.I buy many phones. | Wir brauchen keine kaputten Telefone.We need no broken phones. |
| Dativ | Er arbeitet mit den neuen Telefonen.He works with the new phones. | Sie spricht mit modernen Telefonen.She speaks using modern phones. | Wir telefonieren mit keinen alten Telefonen.We make calls with no old phones. |
| Genitiv | Die Klingeltöne der neuen Telefone sind laut.The ringtones of the new phones are loud. | Die Qualität vieler Telefone ist gut.The quality of many phones is good. | Die Funktionen keiner alten Telefone sind fehlerhaft.The functions of no old phones are faulty. |
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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 Telefon?
It is das Telefon. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Telefon is neuter. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.
What CEFR level is the word Telefon?
The German noun Telefon is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of das Telefon?
The plural form of das Telefon is die Telefone. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does das Telefon mean in English?
The German word das Telefon translates to “telephone” in English.
How do you decline das Telefon?
Like all German nouns, Telefon changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: das Telefon
- Akkusativ: das Telefon
- Dativ: dem Telefon
- Genitiv: des Telefons
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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