Why does the noun Zensur have the article die?

Most nouns ending in -ur are feminine.

Examples

die Kultur (culture), die Natur (nature), die Temperatur (temperature), die Figur (figure), die Frisur (hairstyle), die Prozedur (procedure)

Exceptions

das Abitur (graduation exam), das Futur (future tense)

Declension table for German noun Zensur

How it changes across the four cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativdie Zensureine Zensurkeine Zensur
Akkusativdie Zensureine Zensurkeine Zensur
Dativder Zensureiner Zensurkeiner Zensur
Genitivder Zensureiner Zensurkeiner Zensur

Examples in context

Real sentences using Zensur in different cases.

CaseDefiniteIndefiniteNegative
Nominativ
Die neue Zensur ist streng.The new censorship is strict.
Eine harte Zensur ist schlecht.A harsh censorship is bad.
Keine Zensur ist gut.No censorship is good.
Akkusativ
Ich sehe die neue Zensur.I see the new censorship.
Wir erleben eine harte Zensur.We are experiencing a harsh censorship.
Er mag keine Zensur.He doesn't like censorship.
Dativ
Ich leide unter der strengen Zensur.I suffer under the strict censorship.
Er stimmt einer harten Zensur zu.He agrees to a harsh censorship.
Sie unterliegt keiner Zensur.She is not subject to any censorship.
Genitiv
Das Ziel der Zensur ist klar.The goal of the censorship is clear.
Die Wirkung einer Zensur ist groß.The effect of a censorship is great.
Der Grund keiner Zensur ist bekannt.The reason for no censorship is known.

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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 Zensur?

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

What CEFR level is the word Zensur?

The German noun Zensur is categorized as Upper-Intermediate (B2) vocabulary. It is considered an essential word for learners at this level.

What is the plural of die Zensur?

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

What does die Zensur mean in English?

The German word die Zensur translates to “censorship, grade” in English.

How do you decline die Zensur?

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

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.