Singular
der
Ton
sound, tone, clay
Plural: die Töne
Why does the noun Ton have the article der?
Most rocks and minerals are masculine.
Examples
der Granit (granite), der Diamant (diamond), der Quarz (quartz), der Marmor (marble), der Basalt (basalt), der Ton (clay), der Lehm (loam), der Sand (sand), der Kies (gravel)
Exceptions
die Kohle (coal), die Kreide (chalk), dasIte endings
Declension table for German noun Ton
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Ton | ein Ton | kein Ton |
| Akkusativ | den Ton | einen Ton | keinen Ton |
| Dativ | dem Ton | einem Ton | keinem Ton |
| Genitiv | des Tons | eines Tons | keines Tons |
| Nominativ | die Töne | Töne | keine Töne |
| Akkusativ | die Töne | Töne | keine Töne |
| Dativ | den Tönen | Tönen | keinen Tönen |
| Genitiv | der Töne | Töne | keiner Töne |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Ton in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Der neue Ton ist laut.The new sound is loud. | Ein klarer Ton klingt schön.A clear sound sounds beautiful. | Kein guter Ton kommt an.No good sound arrives. |
| Akkusativ | Ich höre den tiefen Ton.I hear the deep sound. | Er macht einen komischen Ton.He makes a strange sound. | Wir hören keinen leisen Ton.We hear no quiet sound. |
| Dativ | Ich lausche dem leisen Ton.I listen to the quiet sound. | Er gibt einem neuen Ton mehr Tiefe.He gives a new sound more depth. | Ich folge keinem falschen Ton.I follow no wrong sound. |
| Genitiv | Die Qualität des guten Tons ist gut.The quality of the good sound is good. | Die Farbe eines einzelnen Tons ist wichtig.The color of a single sound is important. | Die Herkunft keines komplexen Tons ist unklar.The origin of no complex sound is unclear. |
| Nominativ | Die alten Töne sind klar.The old sounds are clear. | Schöne Töne füllen den Raum.Beautiful sounds fill the room. | Keine lauten Töne stören uns.No loud sounds bother us. |
| Akkusativ | Er hört die neuen Töne.He hears the new sounds. | Er spielt schöne Töne.He plays beautiful sounds. | Ich höre keine falschen Töne.I hear no wrong sounds. |
| Dativ | Ich lausche den leisen Tönen.I listen to the quiet sounds. | Er lauscht schönen Tönen.He listens to beautiful sounds. | Ich folge keinen falschen Tönen.I follow no wrong sounds. |
| Genitiv | Die Wirkung der verschiedenen Töne ist stark.The effect of the different sounds is strong. | Die Schönheit neuer Töne fasziniert.The beauty of new sounds fascinates. | Die Bedeutung keiner einzelnen Töne ist bekannt.The meaning of no single sounds 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 Ton?
It is der Ton. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Ton is masculine. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.
What CEFR level is the word Ton?
The German noun Ton is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of der Ton?
The plural form of der Ton is die Tone. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does der Ton mean in English?
The German word der Ton translates to “sound, tone, clay” in English.
How do you decline der Ton?
Like all German nouns, Ton changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: der Ton
- Akkusativ: den Ton
- Dativ: dem Ton
- Genitiv: des Tons
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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