German word

das

Pronunciation

IPA/das/

Meaning

  • articlethe

Example

Ich nehme das Buch.

I take the book.

Illustration for das (the)

More examples

Er hat das Buch gestern gekauft.

Yesterday, he bought the book.

Core concept

A small linguistic pointer for a specific neuter noun, or for a thing already identifiable without a noun.

Common phrases

  • das Buch

    the book

  • das Wetter

    the weather

  • das Kind

    the child

Similar words

der: Identifies a specific masculine noun as the one meant.
die: Identifies a specific feminine or plural noun as the one meant.
dieses: Emphatically points to a specific neuter noun.
dies: Points to a specific neuter thing without a following noun.

Definition in German

Der bestimmte Artikel für Singular Neutrum, der vor einem Nomen steht und dieses als bekannt oder bestimmt kennzeichnet.

Word origin

The form continues Old High German daz, an inherited Germanic demonstrative related to Proto-Germanic *þat, whose use expanded to include the article.

Usage tips

  • Do not confuse das with dass: das is an article or pronoun, whereas dass is the conjunction introducing a subordinate clause.

Other meanings

  • that onepronoun
  • thatadjective

Related words

  • dasselbethe same onepronoun
  • dasjenigethat particular onepronoun

Word lists with this word