das Telefon
telephone
Full 4-Case Declension Table
Switch determiner types to inspect how articles and noun endings change together.
Definite (der / die / das): Used for specific, already known, or general-category nouns.
| Case (Fall) | Question | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
Nominative Nominativ (Werfall) | Wer oder was? | das Telefon | die Telefone |
Accusative Akkusativ (Wenfall) | Wen oder was? | das Telefon | die Telefone |
Dative Dativ (Wemfall) | Wem? | dem Telefon | den Telefonen |
Genitive Genitiv (Wesfall) | Wessen? | des Telefons | der Telefone |
Indefinite (ein / eine): Used when introducing a countable singular noun; has no plural article in German.
| Case (Fall) | Question | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
Nominative Nominativ (Werfall) | Wer oder was? | ein Telefon | Telefone |
Accusative Akkusativ (Wenfall) | Wen oder was? | ein Telefon | Telefone |
Dative Dativ (Wemfall) | Wem? | einem Telefon | Telefonen |
Genitive Genitiv (Wesfall) | Wessen? | eines Telefons | Telefone |
Negative (kein / keine): Negates nouns with or without an indefinite article; follows ein-words in singular and die in plural.
| Case (Fall) | Question | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
Nominative Nominativ (Werfall) | Wer oder was? | kein Telefon | keine Telefone |
Accusative Akkusativ (Wenfall) | Wen oder was? | kein Telefon | keine Telefone |
Dative Dativ (Wemfall) | Wem? | keinem Telefon | keinen Telefonen |
Genitive Genitiv (Wesfall) | Wessen? | keines Telefons | keiner Telefone |
Possessive (mein / dein / …): Uses ein-word endings in singular and definite-like endings in plural (mein/dein/sein/ihr/unser/euer/Ihr).
| Case (Fall) | Question | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
Nominative Nominativ (Werfall) | Wer oder was? | mein Telefon | meine Telefone |
Accusative Akkusativ (Wenfall) | Wen oder was? | mein Telefon | meine Telefone |
Dative Dativ (Wemfall) | Wem? | meinem Telefon | meinen Telefonen |
Genitive Genitiv (Wesfall) | Wessen? | meines Telefons | meiner Telefone |
Why These Endings Work
Standard pattern for most masculine (der) and neuter (das) nouns: genitive singular ends in -s or -es.
- Dative plural adds -n to the plural stem: Telefone → Telefonen.
Example Sentences in Context
Das Telefon klingelt schon wieder.
The phone is ringing again.
Kann ich kurz dein Telefon benutzen?
Can I use your phone for a moment?
Am Telefon spricht sie immer Englisch.
On the phone she always speaks English.
Interactive Tools & Related Guides
More Nouns in Clothes & Objects
FAQs: das Telefon
Is "Telefon" der, die, or das in German?
"Telefon" takes the neuter definite article "das" (das Telefon). Gender cue: Lexical gender — memorize together with its article.
What is the plural and Dative plural of "das Telefon"?
The Nominative plural of das Telefon is "die Telefone" (pattern: -e). In the Dative plural it becomes "den Telefonen".
How does "das Telefon" change in the Genitive, Accusative, and Dative?
As a strong neuter noun, "Telefon" changes only in the Genitive singular (des Telefons); Accusative and Dative keep "Telefon".