Short answer: Messer takes the article das (das Messer). It’s a neuter noun (German: neutral) and means “knife” in English.
Messer: word facts
- Article
- das
- Gender
- neutral (neuter)
- English
- Knife
- Topic
- Food and drink
- Yupo level
- Beginner
Check a dictionary
You can also check the article in independent German dictionaries:
Last updated: · Method
Why does Messer take das?
Exception: most nouns ending in -er take der, but Messer takes das. Learn it together with its article.
See the article rules →Messer in the accusative and dative
Singular, with the definite article
| Nominativsubject: who? what? | das Messer |
|---|---|
| Akkusativdirect object: whom? what? | das Messer |
| Dativindirect object: to whom? | dem Messer |
