Why does the noun Untersuchung have the article die?

Nouns ending in -ung are always feminine. Look at the bolded -ung in the noun above — that suffix is the giveaway.

Examples

die Zeitung (newspaper), die Wohnung (apartment), die Bildung (education), die Hoffnung (hope), die Übung (exercise), die Meinung (opinion), die Erfahrung (experience)

Exceptions

der Sprung (jump), der Schwung (momentum) - these are verb stems, not the -ung suffix

Declension table for German noun Untersuchung

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativdie Untersuchungeine Untersuchungkeine Untersuchung
Akkusativdie Untersuchungeine Untersuchungkeine Untersuchung
Dativder Untersuchungeiner Untersuchungkeiner Untersuchung
Genitivder Untersuchungeiner Untersuchungkeiner Untersuchung

Examples in context

Real sentences using Untersuchung in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Die offizielle Untersuchung brachte Klarheit.The official investigation brought clarity.
Eine neue Untersuchung wurde eingeleitet.A new investigation was initiated.
Keine gründliche Untersuchung ist derzeit möglich.No thorough investigation is possible at the moment.
Akkusativ
Er ordnete die sofortige Untersuchung an.He ordered the immediate investigation.
Wir führen eine wissenschaftliche Untersuchung durch.We are conducting a scientific investigation.
Ich erwarte keine weitere Untersuchung mehr.I expect no further investigation.
Dativ
Ich stimme der internen Untersuchung zu.I agree with the internal investigation.
Er unterzog sich einer ärztlichen Untersuchung.He underwent a medical examination.
Wir sehen uns mit keiner einfachen Untersuchung konfrontiert.We are not faced with a simple investigation.
Genitiv
Das Ergebnis der aktuellen Untersuchung ist eindeutig.The result of the current investigation is clear.
Während einer polizeilichen Untersuchung schwieg er.He remained silent during a police investigation.
Trotz keiner intensiven Untersuchung gibt es Zweifel.Despite no intensive investigation, there are doubts.

GET THE APP

Practice die Untersuchung in the app

Master die Untersuchung (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
Der Artikel app — quiz screen Der Artikel app — grammar rule tooltip

Frequently asked questions

Everything you might wonder about der, die, das — and the Der Artikel app.

Is it der, die, or das Untersuchung?

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

What CEFR level is the word Untersuchung?

The German noun Untersuchung is categorized as Upper-Intermediate (B2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.

What is the plural of die Untersuchung?

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

What does die Untersuchung mean in English?

The German word die Untersuchung translates to “examination, investigation” in English.

How do you decline die Untersuchung?

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

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.