"Tochter" is feminine in German — the correct article is die. The plural is die Töchter (with Umlaut). In English, Tochter means "daughter"."Die Tochter" is essential family vocabulary at A1 level — the counterpart to der Sohn (son). Both describe a parent-child relationship, but while Sohn forms its plural with Umlaut + -e (Söhne), Tochter only gets an Umlaut (Töchter) — the same pattern as die Mutter → die Mütter. Below you'll find the full declension, example sentences, and a quiz.
Gender rule: Female persons are always feminine in German — no exceptions. Like die Mutter, "Tochter" ends in -er (which is often a masculine tendency), but the "female person" rule takes priority. The plural adds an Umlaut (o → ö) but no extra ending. See all patterns in the German Article Rules.
Tochter — Declension Table
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die Tochter | die Töchter |
| Genitive | der Tochter | der Töchter |
| Dative | der Tochter | den Töchtern |
| Accusative | die Tochter | die Töchter |
Example Sentences with Tochter
Die Tochter lernt gerade Klavier spielen.
(The daughter is learning to play the piano.) — Nominative
Der Vater bringt die Tochter zum Training.
(The father takes the daughter to practice.) — Accusative
Die Mutter liest der Tochter eine Geschichte vor.
(The mother reads a story to the daughter.) — Dative
Das Zimmer der Tochter ist bunt dekoriert.
(The daughter's room is colorfully decorated.) — Genitive
Die Töchter gehen zusammen einkaufen.
(The daughters go shopping together.) — Nominative Plural
Er hat den Töchtern Geld zum Geburtstag geschenkt.
(He gave the daughters money for their birthday.) — Dative Plural
Related Words & Compounds
Word family (Wortfamilie): der Sohn (son), das Kind (child), die Eltern (parents), die Enkelin (granddaughter), töchterlich (daughterly — adjective, rare)
Common compounds (Komposita): die Schwiegertochter (daughter-in-law), die Stieftochter (stepdaughter), die Enkeltochter (granddaughter — less common than Enkelin), das Töchterchen (little daughter — diminutive, neuter because of -chen)
Common Mistake with Tochter
❌ Common mistake: Das Geschenk des Tochters war teuer.
✅ Correct: Das Geschenk der Tochter war teuer.
💡 Why: Feminine nouns never add -s in the genitive — only the article changes. The genitive of "die Tochter" is der Tochter (not "des Tochters"). The -s ending in the genitive only applies to masculine and neuter nouns (des Sohnes, des Kindes).
Quick Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
Can you get all three right? Apply what you've learned above.
1. ___ Tochter spielt im Garten.
- A) Der
- B) Die
- C) Das
Check Answer
"Die Tochter" — Female persons are always feminine in German. In the nominative, the article is die. Don't be confused by the -er ending.
2. Die Großeltern kaufen ___ Tochter ein Buch.
- A) die Tochter
- B) der Tochter
- C) den Tochter
Check Answer
"Kaufen" with a person requires a dative object (for whom?). Feminine dative = der: der Tochter. The noun itself doesn't change.
3. Sie haben eine klug___ Tochter.
- A) -e
- B) -er
- C) -en
Check Answer
After an indefinite article in the accusative feminine, the adjective ending is -e: eine kluge Tochter. This is because feminine accusative = feminine nominative — both use -e after ein/eine.
Want to practice more nouns like this? The Article Trainer has 600+ nouns — including family vocabulary and Umlaut plurals.
More People & Family Nouns
- der Sohn — the son
- der Vater — the father
- die Mutter — the mother
- der Bruder — the brother
- die Schwester — the sister
- das Kind — the child
- das Mädchen — the girl
- der Junge — the boy
For more A1 vocabulary, explore the full vocabulary overview or test yourself with the vocabulary quizzes.
Is it der, die, or das Tochter? Practice makes perfect.
The Article Trainer gives you 600+ nouns to drill — including family vocabulary and tricky Umlaut plurals. Pick the article, get instant feedback, and stop guessing.
Practice German Articles →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tochter masculine, feminine, or neuter in German?
Tochter is feminine — the correct article is die. Female persons are always feminine in German, regardless of the noun ending. Even though "Tochter" ends in -er (which is often a masculine tendency), the "female person" rule takes priority — just like die Mutter and die Schwester.
What is the plural of Tochter?
The plural is die Töchter — the vowel changes from o to ö (Umlaut), but no extra ending is added. This is the same Umlaut-only pattern as die Mutter → die Mütter and der Vater → die Väter.
What is the difference between Tochter and Mädchen?
Die Tochter means "daughter" — it defines a family relationship (someone's child). Das Mädchen means "girl" — it describes age and gender without implying a family connection. A Tochter is always someone's daughter, but a Mädchen is simply any young female. Note that Tochter is feminine (die) while Mädchen is neuter (das) because of the -chen suffix.
How do you say daughter-in-law in German?
"Daughter-in-law" is die Schwiegertochter — a compound of Schwieger- (in-law) + Tochter (daughter). It's feminine because the last word, Tochter, is feminine. The plural is die Schwiegertöchter — with the same Umlaut pattern as Tochter → Töchter.
