---
title: "Heiligabend: der, die or das? It’s der Heiligabend | Yupo"
description: "Short answer: der Heiligabend, “Christmas Eve”. Accusative: den Heiligabend; dative: dem Heiligabend. Learn why it takes der and test yourself with a mini quiz."
url: https://yupolearn.com/en/word/heiligabend/
---

# Heiligabend: der, die or das?

der Heiligabend

Christmas Eve

maskulin · masculine [Relationships and community](https://yupolearn.com/en/topics/relationships-community/) Level: Intermediate

**Short answer:** Heiligabend takes the article der (der Heiligabend). It’s a masculine noun (German: maskulin) and means “Christmas Eve” in English.

## Heiligabend: word facts

- **Article**: der
- **Gender**: maskulin (masculine)
- **English**: Christmas Eve
- **Topic**: Relationships and community
- **Yupo level**: Intermediate

## Check a dictionary

You can also check the article in independent German dictionaries:

- [Heiligabend in Duden →](https://www.duden.de/suchen/dudenonline/Heiligabend)
- [Heiligabend in DWDS →](https://www.dwds.de/wb/Heiligabend)

Last updated: October 24, 2026 · [Method](https://yupolearn.com/en/about/#method)

## Why does Heiligabend take der?

Heiligabend is a compound noun. In compounds, the last part decides the article: der Abend → der Heiligabend.

[See the article rules →](https://yupolearn.com/en/german-article-rules/)

## Heiligabend in the accusative and dative

Singular, with the definite article

| Nominativ subject: who? what? | der Heiligabend |
| --- | --- |
| Akkusativ direct object: whom? what? | den Heiligabend |
| Dativ indirect object: to whom? | dem Heiligabend |

## More words ending in -abend

They all take der, because the last part decides the article.

[der Abend](https://yupolearn.com/en/word/abend/) [der Elternabend](https://yupolearn.com/en/word/elternabend/) [der Grillabend](https://yupolearn.com/en/word/grillabend/) [der Theaterabend](https://yupolearn.com/en/word/theaterabend/) [der Spielabend](https://yupolearn.com/en/word/spielabend/)

## More words about relationships and community

[All →](https://yupolearn.com/en/topics/relationships-community/)

[die Kommunion Communion](https://yupolearn.com/en/word/kommunion/) [die Pflegefamilie Foster family](https://yupolearn.com/en/word/pflegefamilie/) [der Bürger Citizen](https://yupolearn.com/en/word/buerger/) [die Beratung Consultation, advice](https://yupolearn.com/en/word/beratung/) [der Lesekreis Reading group](https://yupolearn.com/en/word/lesekreis/) [die Wahl Election](https://yupolearn.com/en/word/wahl/) [der Fußballclub Football club](https://yupolearn.com/en/word/fussballclub/) [die Jugendgruppe Youth group](https://yupolearn.com/en/word/jugendgruppe/) [der Mönch Monk](https://yupolearn.com/en/word/moench/) [der Gottesdienst Church service](https://yupolearn.com/en/word/gottesdienst/) [die Zuneigung Affection](https://yupolearn.com/en/word/zuneigung/) [die Mannschaft Team](https://yupolearn.com/en/word/mannschaft/)

## der Heiligabend and 4,544 more words

In Yupo, every word comes with its article: hear it, say it, type it. The words you get wrong go into their own list. Start for free.

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