Why does the noun Tier 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 Tier
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | das Tier | ein Tier | kein Tier |
| Akkusativ | das Tier | ein Tier | kein Tier |
| Dativ | dem Tier | einem Tier | keinem Tier |
| Genitiv | des Tieres | eines Tieres | keines Tieres |
| Nominativ | die Tiere | Tiere | keine Tiere |
| Akkusativ | die Tiere | Tiere | keine Tiere |
| Dativ | den Tieren | Tieren | keinen Tieren |
| Genitiv | der Tiere | Tiere | keiner Tiere |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Tier in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Das kleine Tier schläft.The small animal is sleeping. | Ein wildes Tier lebt hier.A wild animal lives here. | Kein großes Tier ist erlaubt.No large animal is allowed. |
| Akkusativ | Ich sehe das kleine Tier.I see the small animal. | Er hat ein krankes Tier.He has a sick animal. | Sie möchte kein großes Tier.She wants no large animal. |
| Dativ | Ich helfe dem kranken Tier.I am helping the sick animal. | Gib einem kleinen Tier Futter.Give food to a small animal. | Das gehört keinem wilden Tier.This belongs to no wild animal. |
| Genitiv | Das Fell des kleinen Tieres ist weich.The fur of the small animal is soft. | Die Spur eines großen Tieres.The track of a large animal. | Der Käfig keines wilden Tieres ist offen.The cage of no wild animal is open. |
| Nominativ | Die süßen Tiere spielen draußen.The cute animals are playing outside. | Viele Tiere sind im Wald.Many animals are in the forest. | Keine wilden Tiere leben hier.No wild animals live here. |
| Akkusativ | Wir füttern die hungrigen Tiere.We are feeding the hungry animals. | Sie fotografiert schöne Tiere.She is photographing beautiful animals. | Ich mag keine gefährlichen Tiere.I don't like dangerous animals. |
| Dativ | Das Wasser schmeckt den durstigen Tieren.The water tastes good to the thirsty animals. | Er spielt mit anderen Tieren.He is playing with other animals. | Wir schaden keinen lebenden Tieren.We harm no living animals. |
| Genitiv | Die Namen der neuen Tiere sind lustig.The names of the new animals are funny. | Das Leben vieler Tiere ist kurz.The life of many animals is short. | Das ist das Futter keiner anderen Tiere.This is the food of no other animals. |
GET THE APP
Practice das Tier in the app
Master das Tier (and 5,000+ other German nouns) with quizzes, smart review, and instant grammar tips.
- 5,000+ nouns with translations in 11 languages
- Quizzes by level, category, or your weakest words
- Snap a photo of any German text — extract nouns instantly
Frequently asked questions
Everything you might wonder about der, die, das — and the Der Artikel app.
Is it der, die, or das Tier?
It is das Tier. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Tier 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 Tier?
The German noun Tier is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of das Tier?
The plural form of das Tier is die Tiere. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does das Tier mean in English?
The German word das Tier translates to “animal” in English.
How do you decline das Tier?
Like all German nouns, Tier changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: das Tier
- Akkusativ: das Tier
- Dativ: dem Tier
- Genitiv: des Tieres
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.
Browse by level
A1 Beginner — most common everyday nouns
Explore →
Browse by topic
Animals
Explore →
BROWSE BY GENDER
Neuter nouns
Explore →
Browse by declension
Strong Standard declension — no extra -(e)n. The 96% majority.
Explore →