Singular
der
Wagen
car, carriage
Plural: die Wagen
Why does the noun Wagen 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 Wagen
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Wagen | ein Wagen | kein Wagen |
| Akkusativ | den Wagen | einen Wagen | keinen Wagen |
| Dativ | dem Wagen | einem Wagen | keinem Wagen |
| Genitiv | des Wagens | eines Wagens | keines Wagens |
| Nominativ | die Wagen | Wagen | keine Wagen |
| Akkusativ | die Wagen | Wagen | keine Wagen |
| Dativ | den Wagen | Wagen | keinen Wagen |
| Genitiv | der Wagen | Wagen | keiner Wagen |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Wagen in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Der alte Wagen ist kaputt.The old car is broken. | Ein neuer Wagen steht draußen.A new car is outside. | Kein roter Wagen gefällt mir.I don't like any red car. |
| Akkusativ | Ich sehe den blauen Wagen.I see the blue car. | Er kauft einen gebrauchten Wagen.He is buying a used car. | Sie hat keinen eigenen Wagen.She has no car of her own. |
| Dativ | Ich sitze in dem alten Wagen.I am sitting in the old car. | Er fährt mit einem schnellen Wagen.He is driving in a fast car. | Das passiert mit keinem neuen Wagen.That doesn't happen with any new car. |
| Genitiv | Die Farbe des neuen Wagens ist rot.The color of the new car is red. | Der Motor eines alten Wagens ist laut.The engine of an old car is loud. | Der Wert keines gebrauchten Wagens steigt.The value of no used car increases. |
| Nominativ | Die schnellen Wagen sind teuer.The fast cars are expensive. | Alte Wagen fahren hier.Old cars drive here. | Keine neuen Wagen sind verfügbar.No new cars are available. |
| Akkusativ | Wir mieten die großen Wagen.We are renting the big cars. | Die Firma braucht neue Wagen.The company needs new cars. | Ich mag keine lauten Wagen.I don't like any loud cars. |
| Dativ | Wir fahren mit den gemieteten Wagen.We are driving with the rented cars. | Er arbeitet an alten Wagen.He works on old cars. | Ich traue keinen kaputten Wagen.I don't trust any broken cars. |
| Genitiv | Der Preis der deutschen Wagen ist hoch.The price of the German cars is high. | Die Qualität neuer Wagen ist besser.The quality of new cars is better. | Die Sicherheit keiner alten Wagen ist garantiert.The safety of no old cars is guaranteed. |
GET THE APP
Practice der Wagen in the app
Master der Wagen (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 Wagen?
It is der Wagen. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Wagen 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 Wagen?
The German noun Wagen is categorized as Elementary (A2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of der Wagen?
The plural form of der Wagen is die Wagen. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does der Wagen mean in English?
The German word der Wagen translates to “car, carriage” in English.
How do you decline der Wagen?
Like all German nouns, Wagen changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: der Wagen
- Akkusativ: den Wagen
- Dativ: dem Wagen
- Genitiv: des Wagens
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
A2 Elementary — daily life vocabulary
Explore →
Browse by topic
Transportation
Explore →
BROWSE BY GENDER
Masculine nouns
Explore →
Browse by declension
Mixed Weak endings in accusative & dative, plus -s in genitive.
Explore →