Singular
der
Wald
forest, woods
Plural: die Wälder
Why does the noun Wald 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 Wald
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Wald | ein Wald | kein Wald |
| Akkusativ | den Wald | einen Wald | keinen Wald |
| Dativ | dem Wald | einem Wald | keinem Wald |
| Genitiv | des Waldes | eines Waldes | keines Waldes |
| Nominativ | die Wälder | Wälder | keine Wälder |
| Akkusativ | die Wälder | Wälder | keine Wälder |
| Dativ | den Wäldern | Wäldern | keinen Wäldern |
| Genitiv | der Wälder | Wälder | keiner Wälder |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Wald in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Der alte Wald ist sehr groß.The old forest is very large. | Hier beginnt ein dichter Wald.A dense forest begins here. | Kein neuer Wald ist wie der andere.No new forest is like the other. |
| Akkusativ | Wir sehen den dunklen Wald.We see the dark forest. | Ich male einen bunten Wald.I am painting a colorful forest. | Er betritt keinen fremden Wald.He enters no strange forest. |
| Dativ | Ich spaziere in dem grünen Wald.I am walking in the green forest. | Wir sind in einem großen Wald.We are in a large forest. | Er wohnt bei keinem nahen Wald.He lives near no forest. |
| Genitiv | Der Weg des alten Waldes ist lang.The path of the old forest is long. | Der Anfang eines neuen Waldes ist hier.The beginning of a new forest is here. | Wegen keines nahen Waldes gab es in der Stadt mehr Luftverschmutzung.Because of no nearby forest, there was more air pollution in the city. |
| Nominativ | Die deutschen Wälder sind sehr schön.The German forests are very beautiful. | Grüne Wälder bedecken das Land.Green forests cover the land. | Keine großen Wälder wachsen in der Wüste.No large forests grow in the desert. |
| Akkusativ | Sie liebt die stillen Wälder.She loves the quiet forests. | Wir besuchen heute schöne Wälder.We are visiting beautiful forests today. | Ich kenne keine alten Wälder hier.I know no old forests here. |
| Dativ | In den tiefen Wäldern leben Tiere.Animals live in the deep forests. | Ich war schon in vielen Wäldern.I have already been in many forests. | In keinen trockenen Wäldern sollte man Lagerfeuer machen.In dry forests, one should not build campfires. |
| Genitiv | Die Farbe der herbstlichen Wälder ist schön.The color of the autumn forests is beautiful. | Die Stille tiefer Wälder beruhigt mich.The silence of deep forests calms me. | Trotz keiner dichten Wälder blieb die Gegend grün.Despite no dense forests, the area remained green. |
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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 Wald?
It is der Wald. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Wald 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 Wald?
The German noun Wald is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of der Wald?
The plural form of der Wald is die Wälder. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does der Wald mean in English?
The German word der Wald translates to “forest, woods” in English.
How do you decline der Wald?
Like all German nouns, Wald changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: der Wald
- Akkusativ: den Wald
- Dativ: dem Wald
- Genitiv: des Waldes
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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