Singular
der
Urlaub
vacation, holiday
Plural: die Urlaube
Why does the noun Urlaub 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 Urlaub
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Urlaub | ein Urlaub | kein Urlaub |
| Akkusativ | den Urlaub | einen Urlaub | keinen Urlaub |
| Dativ | dem Urlaub | einem Urlaub | keinem Urlaub |
| Genitiv | des Urlaubs | eines Urlaubs | keines Urlaubs |
| Nominativ | die Urlaube | Urlaube | keine Urlaube |
| Akkusativ | die Urlaube | Urlaube | keine Urlaube |
| Dativ | den Urlauben | Urlauben | keinen Urlauben |
| Genitiv | der Urlaube | Urlaube | keiner Urlaube |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Urlaub in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Der lange Urlaub beginnt morgen.The long vacation begins tomorrow. | Ein kurzer Urlaub wäre jetzt schön.A short vacation would be nice now. | Das ist kein erholsamer Urlaub.That is not a relaxing vacation. |
| Akkusativ | Ich buche den nächsten Urlaub.I am booking the next vacation. | Wir planen einen langen Urlaub.We are planning a long vacation. | Ich hatte keinen guten Urlaub.I did not have a good vacation. |
| Dativ | Nach dem kurzen Urlaub bin ich fit.After the short vacation, I am fit. | Ich träume von einem sonnigen Urlaub.I am dreaming of a sunny vacation. | Mit keinem bezahlten Urlaub ist es schwer.It is difficult with no paid vacation. |
| Genitiv | Das Ende des langen Urlaubs naht.The end of the long vacation is approaching. | Die Zeit eines kurzen Urlaubs ist kurz.The time of a short vacation is short. | Trotz keines richtigen Urlaubs bin ich froh.Despite no real vacation, I am happy. |
| Nominativ | Die schönen Urlaube sind immer zu kurz.The beautiful vacations are always too short. | Regelmäßige Urlaube sind wichtig.Regular vacations are important. | Keine langen Urlaube sind dieses Jahr möglich.No long vacations are possible this year. |
| Akkusativ | Ich vermisse die alten Urlaube.I miss the old vacations. | Er braucht neue Urlaube.He needs new vacations. | Wir machen keine teuren Urlaube.We are not taking any expensive vacations. |
| Dativ | In den letzten Urlauben war es schön.It was nice during the last vacations. | Ich erzähle von tollen Urlauben.I am telling about great vacations. | Nach keinen erholsamen Urlauben ist er müde.He is tired after no relaxing vacations. |
| Genitiv | Die Planung der nächsten Urlaube beginnt.The planning of the next vacations begins. | Die Erinnerung schöner Urlaube bleibt.The memory of beautiful vacations remains. | Wegen keiner geplanten Urlaube bleiben wir hier.Because of no planned vacations, we are staying here. |
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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 Urlaub?
It is der Urlaub. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Urlaub 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 Urlaub?
The German noun Urlaub is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of der Urlaub?
The plural form of der Urlaub is die Urlaube. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does der Urlaub mean in English?
The German word der Urlaub translates to “vacation, holiday” in English.
How do you decline der Urlaub?
Like all German nouns, Urlaub changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: der Urlaub
- Akkusativ: den Urlaub
- Dativ: dem Urlaub
- Genitiv: des Urlaubs
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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