Singular
der
Unfall
accident
Plural: die Unfälle
Why does the noun Unfall have the article der?
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 Unfall
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Unfall | ein Unfall | kein Unfall |
| Akkusativ | den Unfall | einen Unfall | keinen Unfall |
| Dativ | dem Unfall | einem Unfall | keinem Unfall |
| Genitiv | des Unfalls | eines Unfalls | keines Unfalls |
| Nominativ | die Unfälle | Unfälle | keine Unfälle |
| Akkusativ | die Unfälle | Unfälle | keine Unfälle |
| Dativ | den Unfällen | Unfällen | keinen Unfällen |
| Genitiv | der Unfälle | Unfälle | keiner Unfälle |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Unfall in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Der schwere Unfall passiert heute.The serious accident happens today. | Ein schwerer Unfall ist selten.A serious accident is rare. | Kein schwerer Unfall ist passiert.No serious accident has happened. |
| Akkusativ | Ich sehe den schweren Unfall.I see the serious accident. | Er meldet einen schweren Unfall.He reports a serious accident. | Wir hatten keinen schweren Unfall.We didn't have a serious accident. |
| Dativ | Nach dem schweren Unfall war es still.After the serious accident, it was quiet. | Nach einem schweren Unfall ist man müde.After a serious accident, one is tired. | Nach keinem schweren Unfall ist alles gut.After no serious accident is everything fine. |
| Genitiv | Die Ursache des schweren Unfalls ist unklar.The cause of the serious accident is unclear. | Die Folgen eines schweren Unfalls sind groß.The consequences of a serious accident are great. | Die Schuld keines schweren Unfalls ist bewiesen.The guilt of no serious accident is proven. |
| Nominativ | Die schweren Unfälle sind schlimm.The serious accidents are bad. | Schwere Unfälle sind vermeidbar.Serious accidents are avoidable. | Keine schweren Unfälle sind hier.No serious accidents are here. |
| Akkusativ | Wir vermeiden die schweren Unfälle.We avoid the serious accidents. | Manche sehen schwere Unfälle.Some see serious accidents. | Ich kenne keine schweren Unfälle.I don't know any serious accidents. |
| Dativ | Nach den schweren Unfällen war es ruhig.After the serious accidents, it was calm. | Bei schweren Unfällen hilft die Polizei.In serious accidents, the police help. | Bei keinen schweren Unfällen gibt es Hilfe.In no serious accidents is there help. |
| Genitiv | Die Statistik der schweren Unfälle ist hoch.The statistics of the serious accidents are high. | Die Vermeidung schwerer Unfälle ist wichtig.The avoidance of serious accidents is important. | Die Anzahl keiner schweren Unfälle ist bekannt.The number of no serious accidents 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 Unfall?
It is der Unfall. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Unfall 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 Unfall?
The German noun Unfall is categorized as Elementary (A2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of der Unfall?
The plural form of der Unfall is die Unfälle. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does der Unfall mean in English?
The German word der Unfall translates to “accident” in English.
How do you decline der Unfall?
Like all German nouns, Unfall changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: der Unfall
- Akkusativ: den Unfall
- Dativ: dem Unfall
- Genitiv: des Unfalls
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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