Why does the noun Todesstrafe have the article die?

About 90% of nouns ending in -e are feminine.

Examples

die Lampe (lamp), die Schule (school), die Tasche (bag), die Klasse (class), die Straße (street), die Sonne (sun), die Blume (flower)

Exceptions

der Junge (boy), der Löwe (lion), der Affe (monkey), der Name (name), der Käse (cheese), das Ende (end), das Auge (eye)

Declension table for German noun Todesstrafe

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativdie Todesstrafeeine Todesstrafekeine Todesstrafe
Akkusativdie Todesstrafeeine Todesstrafekeine Todesstrafe
Dativdie Todesstrafeeine Todesstrafekeiner Todesstrafe
Genitivder Todesstrafeeiner Todesstrafekeiner Todesstrafe

Examples in context

Real sentences using Todesstrafe in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Die Todesstrafe ist umstritten.The death penalty is controversial.
Eine Todesstrafe ist grausam.A death penalty is cruel.
Keine Todesstrafe ist gerecht.No death penalty is just.
Akkusativ
Ich lehne die Todesstrafe ab.I reject the death penalty.
Er fordert eine Todesstrafe.He demands a death penalty.
Wir wollen keine Todesstrafe.We want no death penalty.
Dativ
Ich bin gegen die Todesstrafe.I am against the death penalty.
Er spricht über eine Todesstrafe.He talks about a death penalty.
Sie stimmt keiner Todesstrafe zu.She agrees to no death penalty.
Genitiv
Die Abschaffung der Todesstrafe ist wichtig.The abolition of the death penalty is important.
Das ist die Geschichte einer Todesstrafe.That is the story of a death penalty.
Ich kenne die Details keiner Todesstrafe.I know the details of no death penalty.

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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 Todesstrafe?

It is die Todesstrafe. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Todesstrafe is feminine. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.

What is the plural of die Todesstrafe?

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

What does die Todesstrafe mean in English?

The German word die Todesstrafe translates to “death penalty” in English.

How do you decline die Todesstrafe?

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

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.