Why does the noun Waffe 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 Waffe
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | die Waffe | eine Waffe | keine Waffe |
| Akkusativ | die Waffe | eine Waffe | keine Waffe |
| Dativ | der Waffe | einer Waffe | keiner Waffe |
| Genitiv | der Waffe | einer Waffe | keiner Waffe |
| Nominativ | die Waffen | Waffen | keine Waffen |
| Akkusativ | die Waffen | Waffen | keine Waffen |
| Dativ | den Waffen | Waffen | keinen Waffen |
| Genitiv | der Waffen | Waffen | keiner Waffen |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Waffe in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Die alte Waffe ist gefährlich.The old weapon is dangerous. | Eine neue Waffe liegt hier.A new weapon lies here. | Keine scharfe Waffe ist erlaubt.No sharp weapon is allowed. |
| Akkusativ | Er trägt die alte Waffe.He carries the old weapon. | Ich suche eine neue Waffe.I am looking for a new weapon. | Sie hat keine scharfe Waffe.She has no sharp weapon. |
| Dativ | Er zielt mit der alten Waffe.He aims with the old weapon. | Er kämpft mit einer neuen Waffe.He fights with a new weapon. | Ich traue keiner scharfen Waffe.I don't trust any sharp weapon. |
| Genitiv | Der Griff der alten Waffe ist kaputt.The grip of the old weapon is broken. | Die Herkunft einer neuen Waffe ist unklar.The origin of a new weapon is unclear. | Die Gefahr keiner scharfen Waffe ist gering.The danger of no sharp weapon is low. |
| Nominativ | Die alten Waffen sind verboten.The old weapons are forbidden. | Neue Waffen sind teuer.New weapons are expensive. | Keine scharfen Waffen sind sicher.No sharp weapons are safe. |
| Akkusativ | Wir sehen die alten Waffen.We see the old weapons. | Sie kaufen neue Waffen.They buy new weapons. | Sie besitzen keine scharfen Waffen.They possess no sharp weapons. |
| Dativ | Sie kämpfen mit den alten Waffen.They fight with the old weapons. | Er handelt mit neuen Waffen.He deals with new weapons. | Er vertraut keinen scharfen Waffen.He trusts no sharp weapons. |
| Genitiv | Die Geschichte der alten Waffen ist lang.The history of the old weapons is long. | Die Entwicklung neuer Waffen ist schnell.The development of new weapons is fast. | Der Besitz keiner scharfen Waffen ist sicher.The possession of no sharp weapons is safe. |
GET THE APP
Practice die Waffe in the app
Master die Waffe (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
Frequently asked questions
Everything you might wonder about der, die, das — and the Der Artikel app.
Is it der, die, or das Waffe?
It is die Waffe. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Waffe 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 Waffe?
The German noun Waffe is categorized as Intermediate (B1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of die Waffe?
The plural form of die Waffe is die Waffen. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does die Waffe mean in English?
The German word die Waffe translates to “weapon” in English.
How do you decline die Waffe?
Like all German nouns, Waffe changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: die Waffe
- Akkusativ: die Waffe
- Dativ: der Waffe
- Genitiv: der Waffe
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.
Browse by level
B1 Intermediate — broader topics & abstract terms
Explore →
Browse by topic
Society & Politics
Explore →
BROWSE BY GENDER
Feminine nouns
Explore →
Browse by declension
Strong Standard declension — no extra -(e)n. The 96% majority.
Explore →