Why does the noun Wehrmacht have the article die?

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 Wehrmacht

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativdie Wehrmachteine Wehrmachtkeine Wehrmacht
Akkusativdie Wehrmachteine Wehrmachtkeine Wehrmacht
Dativder Wehrmachteiner Wehrmachtkeiner Wehrmacht
Genitivder Wehrmachteiner Wehrmachtkeiner Wehrmacht

Examples in context

Real sentences using Wehrmacht in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Die alte Wehrmacht war sehr stark.The old Wehrmacht was very strong.
Eine neue Wehrmacht wurde gegründet.A new Wehrmacht was founded.
Keine große Wehrmacht existiert heute.No large Wehrmacht exists today.
Akkusativ
Man sah die alte Wehrmacht überall.One saw the old Wehrmacht everywhere.
Sie gründeten eine neue Wehrmacht.They founded a new Wehrmacht.
Wir wollen keine große Wehrmacht mehr.We don't want a large Wehrmacht anymore.
Dativ
Man diente der alten Wehrmacht.One served the old Wehrmacht.
Man gehörte einer neuen Wehrmacht an.One belonged to a new Wehrmacht.
Ich diene keiner großen Wehrmacht.I don't serve any large Wehrmacht.
Genitiv
Die Geschichte der alten Wehrmacht ist komplex.The history of the old Wehrmacht is complex.
Die Gründung einer neuen Wehrmacht war umstritten.The founding of a new Wehrmacht was controversial.
Die Ideologie keiner großen Wehrmacht ist gut.The ideology of no large Wehrmacht is good.

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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 Wehrmacht?

It is die Wehrmacht. In German, every noun has a grammatical gender, and Wehrmacht is feminine. You should always learn the article together with the noun to ensure your German grammar is correct.

What is the plural of die Wehrmacht?

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

What does die Wehrmacht mean in English?

The German word die Wehrmacht translates to “Wehrmacht (German armed forces 1935-1945)” in English.

How do you decline die Wehrmacht?

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

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.