Nominative Case
The nominative case is used for the subject of a sentence - the person or thing performing the action.
It's the most basic case and the one you learn first. Articles and adjectives in nominative are the dictionary forms.
This lesson covers how to identify and use the nominative case in German.
Explanation
The subject of a sentence is always in nominative: 'Der Mann liest' (The man reads) - 'Der Mann' is nominative.
Nominative articles: der (masculine), die (feminine), das (neuter), die (plural).
Nominative pronouns: ich, du, er, sie, es, wir, ihr, sie, Sie.
After 'sein' (to be), both subject and complement are nominative: 'Er ist ein Lehrer' (He is a teacher) - both 'Er' and 'ein Lehrer' are nominative.
Predicate nouns (nouns after 'sein', 'werden', 'bleiben') are also nominative: 'Ich werde Lehrer' (I become a teacher).
Nominative Articles
| Gender | Definite Article | Indefinite Article | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | der | ein | der Mann | the man |
| Feminine | die | eine | die Frau | the woman |
| Neuter | das | ein | das Kind | the child |
| Plural | die | - | die Kinder | the children |
Examples
Der Mann liest ein Buch.
The man reads a book. (Der Mann = nominative subject)
Die Frau kocht.
The woman cooks. (Die Frau = nominative subject)
Das Kind spielt.
The child plays. (Das Kind = nominative subject)
Er ist ein Lehrer.
He is a teacher. (Er and ein Lehrer = both nominative)
Wir sind Studenten.
We are students. (Wir and Studenten = both nominative)
Common Mistakes
Den Mann liest
Der Mann liest
The subject is always nominative. Use 'der', not 'den' (accusative).
Er ist einen Lehrer
Er ist ein Lehrer
After 'sein', the complement is nominative, not accusative. Use 'ein', not 'einen'.
Practice Exercises
Test your understanding with interactive exercises. Practice makes perfect!
Start Exercises →Related Topics
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know which article to use?
German articles (der, die, das) depend on the gender of the noun. While there are some patterns, many nouns must be memorized. Practice and exposure to German will help you learn them naturally.
What's the difference between definite and indefinite articles?
Definite articles (der, die, das) mean 'the' and refer to specific things. Indefinite articles (ein, eine) mean 'a/an' and refer to non-specific things. Both must match the noun's gender: use 'ein' for masculine/neuter and 'eine' for feminine.
Are there rules for determining noun gender?
While there are some helpful patterns (e.g., words ending in -ung are usually feminine), there are many exceptions. The best approach is to learn nouns with their articles from the beginning.
What happens if I use the wrong article?
While using the wrong article is a common mistake, native speakers will usually still understand you. However, using the correct article is important for sounding natural and fluent in German.