Indefinite Articles In German

It may seem that learning articles in German is a difficult section on the road to the language, but understanding of the indefinites articles will sort of save the day for you with regards to German. We say “a” and “an” in English but the German version varies in gender, case and number. In this article we are discussing about indefinite articles in German, from the basics all the way to when and when not to use them.

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What Are Indefinite Articles in German?

Indefinite articles in German (like “a” or “an” in English) These are used for the unknown/generic thing or first reference. German has the two indefinite articles: ein and eine

ein: for masculine and neuter nouns
eine: for the feminine nouns

The Indefinite article use is depend on gender, number and case of the noun it is before so knowing these things properly will help to use them well.

Indefinite Articles & Gender

Every noun in German got a gender (masculine, feminine or neuter) The indefinite articles “ein” and “eine” are influenced directly by this gender. Let’s break it down in a simple table:

• ein is used for masculine and neuter singular nouns.
• eine is used for feminine singular nouns.
• keine is the plural form used for all genders.

Indefinite Articles & German Cases

Case system, the part of German that changes the form of indefinite articles if the noun is the subject, object or genitive (showing possession) in a sentence was one of the harder thing about grammar to explain in German. Let’s see the indefinite articles pattern in 4 German cases.

Nominative Case (Subject of the Sentence):

Accusative Case (Direct Object):

Dative Case (Indirect Object):

Genitive Case (Possession):

When to Use Indefinite Articles in German?

Here are some occasions when you will use indefinite articles:

• For the non-specific: when referring to some general item or thing, as opposed specific. For example:
  Ich habe ein Buch. (I have a book.)
• A first reference to something : If you are now introducing the noun in conversation, you will aplpy generally an indefinite article.
  Ich sehe eine Katze. (I see a cat.)
• Profession or Nationalities: when speaking about a professions and nationalities, you use an indefinite article.
  Er ist ein Lehrer. (He is an (a) teacher.)

When NOT to Use Indefinite Articles

There are some cases, where you do not employ indefinite articles in German as well:

• Mass nouns: No indefinite article is used for mass nouns (liquids or abstract concepts).
  Eg: Ich trinke Wasser. (I drink water.)
• More general or abstract references: For things in general without being specific, you use indefinite article (not applicable in English)
  Er mag Schokolade. (He likes chocolate.)
• When using the verb “sein” (to be) with professions/nationality: you should not use indefinite articles if a verb “sein” in your language.
  She is a teacher. –> Sie ist Lehrerin.

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Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

It can be difficult for students to pick up the indefinite articles and here are some common mistakes they do when learning them:

• Mixing up the gender

How to avoid: Make certain you know the gender of every noun because this connects with “ein” and “eine”

• Confusing the nominative and accusative cases:

How to avoid: keep in mind that for the accusative case, the accusative only changes to einen in case of Masculine.

• Forgetting the plural form:

How to avoid: For plural nouns, you always use keine, regardless of the gender.

Practice Exercises

Having learned the rules, now it is time to practice!

Fill in the Blanks with the Correct Indefinite Article:

Use ein, eine, einen, einem, einer, eines, keine, keinen, keiner where appropriate.

1. Ich habe ___ Apfel. (I have an apple.)
2. Sie trinkt ___ Kaffee. (She drinks a coffee.)
3. Er sieht ___ Katze. (He sees a cat.)
4. Wir kaufen ___ Auto. (We buy a car.)
5. Ich gebe ___ Freund ein Geschenk. (I give a gift to a friend.)
6. Sie spricht mit ___ Lehrerin. (She speaks with a teacher (female).)
7. Ich brauche ___ Bleistift. (I need a pencil.)
8. Hast du ___ Idee? (Do you have an idea?)
9. Sie haben ___ Haus am See. (They have a house by the lake.)
10. Er hat ___ Probleme. (He has no problems.)

The following sentences contain mistakes in the use of indefinite articles. Correct them.

1. Ich habe eine Auto.
2. Er kauft einen Lampe.
3. Sie spielt mit einen Hund.
4. Wir brauchen eine Stuhl für das Büro.
5. Ich gebe eines Freund einen Apfel.

Choose the Correct Option

Select the correct indefinite article from the given choices.

1. Ich sehe ___ Mann.

   • a) ein
   • b) eine
   • c) einen

2. Sie gibt ___ Kind einen Apfel.

   • a) einem
   • b) eine
   • c) einen

3. Wir haben ___ schönen Garten.

   • a) ein
   • b) einen
   • c) eine

4. Ich habe ___ Schwester.

   • a) eine
   • b) einen
   • c) einem

5. Sie liest ___ interessantes Buch.

   • a) eine
   • b) einen
   • c) ein

Entri provides German online courses through partner Lanstitut which is one of the leading German training institutions. Designed for Speaking like a local with Online German classes The course is beneficial for your career growth, personal development and improved communication. Indefinite Article mastery will enhance your German speaking and writing. Practice enough and soon you will be able to chose the good article unconsciously. Viel Erfolg! (Good luck)

CONCLUSION

Accurate and fluent speaking of German needs mastering indefinite articles. Practice, autopilot on and you will learn when ein/eine is used in different sentences. Also don´t forget gender, case and number — they are essential to get it right. Ready to push your German even more? Your next conversation, implement this into it, try to come up sentences with indefinite articles. It is perfectly fine to make mistakes, that is just how you learn! Keep going and you will speak common nouns in no time.