Why does the noun Ursache 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 Ursache

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativdie Ursacheeine Ursachekeine Ursache
Akkusativdie Ursacheeine Ursachekeine Ursache
Dativder Ursacheeiner Ursachekeiner Ursache
Genitivder Ursacheeiner Ursachekeiner Ursache

Examples in context

Real sentences using Ursache in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Die hauptsächliche Ursache ist bekannt.The main cause is known.
Eine neue Ursache ist neu.A new cause is new.
Keine klare Ursache ist klar.No clear cause is clear.
Akkusativ
Wir suchen die hauptsächliche Ursache.We are looking for the main cause.
Er findet eine neue Ursache.He finds a new cause.
Ich sehe keine klare Ursache.I see no clear cause.
Dativ
Der Erfolg liegt an der hauptsächlichen Ursache.The success is due to the main cause.
Er forscht nach einer neuen Ursache.He researches for a new cause.
Ich glaube keiner klaren Ursache.I believe no clear cause.
Genitiv
Die Wirkung der hauptsächlichen Ursache ist groß.The effect of the main cause is great.
Die Folge einer neuen Ursache ist schlimm.The consequence of a new cause is bad.
Der Grund keiner klaren Ursache ist bekannt.The reason for no clear cause 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 Ursache?

It is die Ursache. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Ursache 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 Ursache?

The German noun Ursache is categorized as Intermediate (B1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.

What is the plural of die Ursache?

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

What does die Ursache mean in English?

The German word die Ursache translates to “cause” in English.

How do you decline die Ursache?

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

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.