"Junge" is masculine in German — the correct article is der. The plural is die Jungen. In English, Junge means "boy"."Der Junge" is one of the first nouns you'll learn in any German course — and one that trips up learners because of its unusual declension. While the gender is straightforward (male person = masculine), the noun itself changes form in every case except the nominative. This makes it a classic N-Deklination noun. Below you'll find the full declension, example sentences, and a quiz. If you're looking for more family vocabulary, check out the A1 Family Words list.
Gender rule: Male persons are always masculine in German — no exceptions. But careful: "Junge" follows the N-Deklination, meaning it adds -n in every case except the nominative. See all gender patterns in the German Article Rules.
Junge — Declension Table
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der Junge | die Jungen |
| Genitive | des Jungen | der Jungen |
| Dative | dem Jungen | den Jungen |
| Accusative | den Jungen | die Jungen |
Example Sentences with Junge
Der Junge spielt mit seinem Hund.
(The boy is playing with his dog.) — Nominative
Ich kenne den Jungen aus der Schule.
(I know the boy from school.) — Accusative
Die Lehrerin gibt dem Jungen eine gute Note.
(The teacher gives the boy a good grade.) — Dative
Das ist das Fahrrad des Jungen.
(That is the boy's bicycle.) — Genitive
Die Jungen rennen über den Schulhof.
(The boys are running across the schoolyard.) — Nominative Plural
Sie hat den Jungen beim Aufräumen geholfen.
(She helped the boys with cleaning up.) — Dative Plural
Related Words & Compounds
Word family (Wortfamilie): jung (young — adjective), die Jugend (youth), jugendlich (youthful — adjective), der Jugendliche (young person/teenager), die Jungfrau (Virgo / virgin)
Common compounds (Komposita): der Schuljunge (schoolboy), der Laufjunge (errand boy), der Bauernjunge (farm boy), jungenhaft (boyish — adjective), der Jungenname (boy's name)
Common Mistake with Junge
❌ Common mistake: Ich sehe den Junge jeden Tag.
✅ Correct: Ich sehe den Jungen jeden Tag.
💡 Why: "Junge" follows the N-Deklination. In the accusative, dative, and genitive, the noun must add -n: den Jungen, dem Jungen, des Jungen. Forgetting this -n is one of the most common mistakes with weak nouns.
Quick Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
Can you get all three right? Apply what you've learned above.
1. ___ Junge ist sehr freundlich.
- A) Die
- B) Das
- C) Der
Check Answer
"Der Junge" — Male persons are always masculine in German. In the nominative, the article is der and the noun stays unchanged: der Junge.
2. Ich habe ___ Junge___ im Park gesehen.
- A) den Junge
- B) dem Jungen
- C) den Jungen
Check Answer
"Sehen" takes an accusative object (whom?). Masculine accusative = den, and because "Junge" follows the N-Deklination, the noun adds -n: den Jungen.
3. Der klein___ Junge lacht laut.
- A) -e
- B) -er
- C) -en
Check Answer
After a definite article in the nominative, the adjective ending is -e for all genders: der kleine Junge, das kleine Mädchen, die schöne Frau.
Want to practice more nouns like this? The Article Trainer has 600+ nouns — including family vocabulary and all the tricky N-Deklination words.
More People & Family Nouns
- das Mädchen — the girl
- die Frau — the woman
- der Mann — the man
- das Kind — the child
- der Vater — the father
- die Mutter — the mother
- der Bruder — the brother
- die Schwester — the sister
For more A1 vocabulary, explore the full vocabulary overview or test yourself with the vocabulary quizzes.
Is it der, die, or das Junge? Practice makes perfect.
The Article Trainer gives you 600+ nouns to drill — including family vocabulary and N-Deklination words. Pick the article, get instant feedback, and stop guessing.
Practice German Articles →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Junge masculine, feminine, or neuter in German?
Junge is masculine — the correct article is der. This follows the rule that male persons are always masculine in German. Don't confuse it with das Mädchen (girl), which is neuter because of the -chen suffix.
What is the plural of Junge?
The standard plural is die Jungen. In casual spoken German, you'll also hear die Jungs, but die Jungen is the grammatically correct form used in writing.
What is N-Deklination and why does Junge follow it?
"Junge" is a weak noun that follows the N-Deklination. This means it adds -n in every case except the nominative: den Jungen, dem Jungen, des Jungen. Masculine nouns ending in -e that refer to people or animals often follow this pattern (der Kollege, der Neffe, der Affe).
What is the difference between Junge and Kind?
Der Junge means "boy" and is masculine. Das Kind means "child" (any gender) and is neuter. "Kind" is the neutral term for any child, while "Junge" specifically refers to a male child. The female counterpart is das Mädchen (girl).
