Why does the noun Zehennagel 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 Zehennagel

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativder Zehennagelein Zehennagelkein Zehennagel
Akkusativden Zehennageleinen Zehennagelkeinen Zehennagel
Dativdem Zehennageleinem Zehennagelkeinem Zehennagel
Genitivdes Zehennagelseines Zehennagelskeines Zehennagels

Examples in context

Real sentences using Zehennagel in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Der Zehennagel ist lang.The toenail is long.
Ein harter Zehennagel ist oft dick.A hard toenail is often thick.
Kein kaputter Zehennagel ist hier.No broken toenail is here.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe den Zehennagel.I see the toenail.
Er braucht einen neuen Zehennagel.He needs a new toenail.
Sie hat keinen kaputten Zehennagel.She has no broken toenail.
Dativ
Ich helfe dem Zehennagel.I help the toenail.
Er gibt einem Zehennagel Farbe.He gives color to a toenail.
Sie hilft keinem Zehennagel.She helps no toenail.
Genitiv
Die Farbe des Zehennagels ist hell.The color of the toenail is light.
Der Zustand eines Zehennagels ist gut.The condition of a toenail is good.
Die Form keines Zehennagels ist perfekt.The shape of no toenail is perfect.

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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 Zehennagel?

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

What is the plural of der Zehennagel?

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

What does der Zehennagel mean in English?

The German word der Zehennagel translates to “toenail” in English.

How do you decline der Zehennagel?

Like all German nouns, Zehennagel changes its article depending on the case. In the singular, the forms are:
  • Nominativ: der Zehennagel
  • Akkusativ: den Zehennagel
  • Dativ: dem Zehennagel
  • Genitiv: des Zehennagels

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.