Table of Contents
What Are Indefinite Articles in German?
In German, indefinite articles are small words that mean “a” or “an” in English. They are used when you talk about something in general, not about a specific thing that both speaker and listener already know.
German has two basic indefinite articles in the singular:
“ein” and “eine.”
Indefinite articles are only used in the singular. In the plural, German does not use an indefinite article at all.
Key idea:
“ein” and “eine” mean “a / an.”
There is no plural form of “ein / eine.”
Indefinite Articles and Grammatical Gender
You already know that every German noun has a gender: masculine, feminine, or neuter. The indefinite article must match this gender.
In the nominative case, which is used for the subject of the sentence, the basic forms are:
| Gender | Definite article (the) | Indefinite article (a/an) |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | der | ein |
| Feminine | die | eine |
| Neuter | das | ein |
Notice that masculine and neuter nouns both use “ein.” Feminine nouns use “eine.”
Examples:
Ich habe ein Auto.
I have a car.
Das ist ein Tisch.
That is a table.
Sie ist eine Lehrerin.
She is a teacher.
Das ist ein Kind.
That is a child.
When to Use Indefinite Articles
You use “ein / eine” when you talk about something that is not specific, often mentioned for the first time, or when it does not matter which exact one.
Compare:
Das ist der Lehrer.
That is the teacher. (a specific one you both know)
Das ist ein Lehrer.
That is a teacher. (some teacher, you do not specify which one)
Some typical uses:
Introducing a new thing or person in a conversation:
Ich sehe einen Mann. (A1 learners will learn this accusative form later, but the idea is “I see a man.”)
Talking about jobs and roles:
Er ist ein Arzt.
He is a doctor.
Describing one of many possible items:
Ich möchte ein Brot.
I would like a bread roll / a loaf of bread, not a specific one already known.
Use “ein / eine” when you talk about a non-specific person or thing, often for the first time.
Indefinite Article and Noun Gender in Practice
You often learn nouns together with their definite article “der / die / das.” From that, you can know which indefinite article you need.
If the noun is masculine with “der,” use “ein” in the nominative singular.
If the noun is feminine with “die,” use “eine” in the nominative singular.
If the noun is neuter with “das,” use “ein” in the nominative singular.
Table with examples:
| Gender | Article pair | Example in German | Meaning in English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | der / ein | Das ist ein Stuhl. | That is a chair. |
| Feminine | die / eine | Das ist eine Lampe. | That is a lamp. |
| Neuter | das / ein | Das ist ein Fenster. | That is a window. |
You can build many simple sentences with this pattern:
Das ist ein / eine + noun.
No Indefinite Article in the Plural
In English, you cannot say “a chairs.” In German it is similar. There is no plural form of “ein / eine.” If you talk about more than one, you simply use the plural noun without an article.
Compare:
Das ist ein Apfel.
That is an apple.
Das sind Äpfel.
Those are apples.
Similarly:
Ich habe ein Buch.
I have a book.
Ich habe Bücher.
I have books.
There is no word like “eine Bücher” or “ein Bücher.” You simply leave out the indefinite article.
There is no plural of “ein / eine.”
Singular: Ich habe ein Auto.
Plural: Ich habe Autos. (no article)
Indefinite Articles and Professions
In German, when you say what someone’s job is, you usually use an indefinite article, especially when you introduce this information.
Examples:
Er ist ein Lehrer.
He is a teacher.
Sie ist eine Ärztin.
She is a (female) doctor.
Mein Bruder ist ein Student.
My brother is a student.
Later you will also see sentences without the article in some contexts, but for A1 it is helpful to practice the simple pattern with “ein / eine.”
Indefinite Articles in Simple Descriptions
You can combine “ein / eine” with adjectives, but the full grammar of adjective endings comes later. At A1 level, you can start to recognize and use some very simple patterns.
Examples:
Ich habe ein neues Handy.
I have a new mobile phone.
Das ist eine kleine Wohnung.
That is a small apartment.
Das ist ein guter Film.
That is a good film.
Do not worry yet about the exact endings on the adjectives. For now, focus on choosing the correct “ein” or “eine” according to the gender of the noun.
Indefinite Article in Negative Sentences (Preview)
In another chapter you will learn “kein,” which is used to say “no / not any” with nouns. It is related to “ein.” For now, just notice that “kein / keine” looks similar to “ein / eine” and often replaces it in negative sentences.
Ich habe ein Auto.
I have a car.
Ich habe kein Auto.
I do not have a car.
You will study this pattern in detail later. At this point, simply see the connection and remember that “ein / eine” are the positive forms.
Summary
In this chapter you learned that German has two basic indefinite articles in the singular: “ein” for masculine and neuter nouns, and “eine” for feminine nouns, in the nominative case. You saw how they are used with professions, with general non-specific nouns, and that there is no indefinite article in the plural. You also saw the first connection to “kein / keine” for negation, which will be explained in another chapter.
Vocabulary List
| German | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ein | a, an (masc. / neut. sg.) | Indefinite article, singular |
| eine | a, an (fem. sg.) | Indefinite article, singular |
| der Lehrer | the (male) teacher | Masculine noun |
| die Lehrerin | the (female) teacher | Feminine noun |
| der Arzt | the (male) doctor | Masculine noun |
| die Ärztin | the (female) doctor | Feminine noun |
| der Student | the (male) student | Masculine noun |
| die Studentin | the (female) student | Feminine noun |
| der Tisch | the table | Masculine noun |
| die Lampe | the lamp | Feminine noun |
| das Fenster | the window | Neuter noun |
| der Stuhl | the chair | Masculine noun |
| das Auto | the car | Neuter noun |
| das Kind | the child | Neuter noun |
| das Brot | the bread / bread roll / loaf | Neuter noun, context dependent |
| der Film | the film / movie | Masculine noun |
| das Handy | the mobile phone | Neuter noun |
| die Wohnung | the apartment | Feminine noun |
| der Mann | the man | Masculine noun |
| der Apfel | the apple | Masculine noun |
| die Äpfel | the apples (plural) | Plural form |
| das Buch | the book | Neuter noun |
| die Bücher | the books (plural) | Plural form |