Why does the noun Wasser have the article das?
Nouns formed from verbs with -er ending are mostly masculine. Look at the bolded -er in the noun above — that suffix is the giveaway.
Examples
der Lehrer (teacher), der Fahrer (driver), der Arbeiter (worker), der Schreiber (writer), der Spieler (player), der Maler (painter)
Exceptions
das Fenster (window), das Wasser (water), die Butter (butter), die Mutter (mother)
Declension table for German noun Wasser
How it changes across the four cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | das Wasser | Wasser | kein Wasser |
| Akkusativ | das Wasser | Wasser | kein Wasser |
| Dativ | dem Wasser | Wasser | keinem Wasser |
| Genitiv | des Wassers | eines Wassers | keines Wassers |
| Nominativ | die Wasser | Wasser | keine Wasser |
| Akkusativ | die Wasser | Wasser | keine Wasser |
| Dativ | den Wassern | Wassern | keinen Wassern |
| Genitiv | der Wasser | Wasser | keiner Wasser |
Examples in context
Real sentences using Wasser in different cases.
| Case | Definite | Indefinite | Negative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | Das kalte Wasser ist erfrischend.The cold water is refreshing. | Kaltes Wasser ist erfrischend.Cold water is refreshing. | Kein kaltes Wasser ist im Glas.No cold water is in the glass. |
| Akkusativ | Ich trinke das kalte Wasser.I drink the cold water. | Er möchte kaltes Wasser.He would like cold water. | Sie braucht kein kaltes Wasser.She needs no cold water. |
| Dativ | In dem kalten Wasser schwimmt ein Fisch.A fish swims in the cold water. | Er badet in kaltem Wasser.He bathes in cold water. | Mit keinem kalten Wasser wäscht er.He doesn't wash with any cold water. |
| Genitiv | Die Temperatur des kalten Wassers ist niedrig.The temperature of the cold water is low. | Der Geschmack eines kalten Wassers ist gut.The taste of a cold water is good. | Die Wirkung keines kalten Wassers ist unbekannt.The effect of no cold water is unknown. |
| Nominativ | Die frischen Wasser sind sehr klar.The fresh waters are very clear. | Frische Wasser fließen den Berg hinab.Fresh waters flow down the mountain. | Keine frischen Wasser sind hier zu finden.No fresh waters are to be found here. |
| Akkusativ | Wir sehen die frischen Wasser.We see the fresh waters. | Er sucht frische Wasser zum Trinken.He is looking for fresh waters to drink. | Ich mag keine frischen Wasser.I don't like any fresh waters. |
| Dativ | In den frischen Wassern leben Tiere.Animals live in the fresh waters. | Er schwimmt in frischen Wassern.He swims in fresh waters. | Von keinen frischen Wassern träumt er.He dreams of no fresh waters. |
| Genitiv | Die Qualität der frischen Wasser ist hoch.The quality of the fresh waters is high. | Die Schönheit frischer Wasser ist bekannt.The beauty of fresh waters is known. | Trotz keiner frischen Wasser ist es trocken.Despite no fresh waters, it is dry. |
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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 Wasser?
It is das Wasser. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Wasser is neuter. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.
What CEFR level is the word Wasser?
The German noun Wasser is categorized as Beginner (A1) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.
What is the plural of das Wasser?
The plural form of das Wasser is die Wasser. In German, regardless of the singular gender, all plural nouns use the definite article “die.”
What does das Wasser mean in English?
The German word das Wasser translates to “water” in English.
How do you decline das Wasser?
Like all German nouns, Wasser changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
- Nominativ: das Wasser
- Akkusativ: das Wasser
- Dativ: dem Wasser
- Genitiv: des Wassers
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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