3.3 Uses of the articles

Generally speaking, articles are used in German much as they are in English. But there are certain differences, with usage being affected by context and style. These are the main differences to watch out for in German:

The definite article is often used before abstract nouns:

Die Demokratie ist in einer Krise. Democracy is in a state of crisis. Sie glaubt an das Leben nach dem Tod. She believes in life after death.

The definite article is often used before infinitives used as nouns:

Das Fotografieren ist verboten. Ich liebe das Drachenfliegen. It is not permitted to take photographs. I love hang-gliding.

The definite article is used with names of languages if these are in an ‘inflected’ form, i.e. with a case ending:

eine Übersetzung aus dem Russischen a translation from Russian Im Deutschen sagt man das nicht. You don’t say that in German. BUT:Ich kann Deutsch. I can speak German/I know German.

The definite article is used with names of months and seasons:

Der April war verregnet. Im Winter friert der Bach zu. April was rainy. In winter the stream freezes over.

The definite article is used with street names and with feminine and plural names of countries:

Ich wohne in der Marktstraße. Wir wohnen jetzt in der Schweiz. Sie lebt in den Niederlanden. I live in Market Street. We live in Switzerland now. She lives in the Netherlands.

The definite article is used with all proper names qualified by an adjective or adjectival phrase:

das heutige Deutschland der junge Heinrich Mann das zerstörte Dresden das zur Hauptstadt ernannte Berlin Germany today/modern Germany the young Heinrich Mann the destroyed city of Dresden Berlin, which has been made the capital