"Mann" is masculine in German — the correct article is der. The plural is die Männer (with Umlaut + -er). In English, Mann means "man" or "husband"."Der Mann" is one of the most basic A1 vocabulary words in German — and one with a double meaning. It can mean "man" (adult male) or "husband," depending on context. "Mein Mann" almost always means "my husband," while "der Mann dort" means "the man over there." Below you'll find the full declension, example sentences showing both meanings, and a quiz. For more family vocabulary, check out the A1 Family Words list.
Gender rule: Male persons are generally masculine in German. The plural adds both an Umlaut (a → ä) and an -er ending: Mann → Männer. This -er plural pattern is the same as das Kind → die Kinder. See all patterns in the German Article Rules.
Mann — Declension Table
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der Mann | die Männer |
| Genitive | des Mannes | der Männer |
| Dative | dem Mann | den Männern |
| Accusative | den Mann | die Männer |
Example Sentences with Mann
Der Mann wartet an der Bushaltestelle.
(The man is waiting at the bus stop.) — Nominative
Kennst du den Mann dort drüben?
(Do you know the man over there?) — Accusative
Sie gibt dem Mann die Wegbeschreibung.
(She gives the man the directions.) — Dative
Die Jacke des Mannes hängt an der Garderobe.
(The man's jacket is hanging on the coat rack.) — Genitive
Die Männer spielen Karten im Park.
(The men are playing cards in the park.) — Nominative Plural
Mein Mann kocht heute Abend.
(My husband is cooking tonight.) — Nominative (meaning: husband)
Related Words & Compounds
Word family (Wortfamilie): die Frau (woman/wife), männlich (male/masculine — adjective), die Männlichkeit (masculinity), mannhaft (manly — adjective), bemannt (manned — adjective)
Common compounds (Komposita): der Ehemann (husband — formal), der Geschäftsmann (businessman), der Feuerwehrmann (firefighter), der Kaufmann (merchant), die Mannschaft (team — literally "man-ship")
Common Mistake with Mann
❌ Common mistake:Die Mannen sind groß.
✅ Correct: Die Männer sind groß.
💡 Why: The plural of "Mann" is die Männer — with Umlaut + -er, not "die Mannen" (which is an archaic/literary form meaning "followers/vassals"). Don't mix these up. Also don't add a simple -s: "die Manns" is incorrect.
Quick Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
Can you get all three right? Apply what you've learned above.
1. ___ Mann liest die Zeitung.
- A) Die
- B) Das
- C) Der
Check Answer
"Der Mann" — Male persons are generally masculine in German. In the nominative, the article is der.
2. Die Polizei fragt ___ Mann nach seinem Ausweis.
- A) der Mann
- B) den Mann
- C) dem Mann
Check Answer
"Fragen" takes an accusative object (whom?). Masculine accusative = den: den Mann.
3. Sie hat einen nett___ Mann geheiratet.
- A) -e
- B) -er
- C) -en
Check Answer
After an indefinite article in the accusative masculine, the adjective ending is -en: einen netten Mann. Masculine accusative is the one case where ein changes to einen, and the adjective always takes -en.
Want to practice more nouns like this? The Article Trainer has 600+ nouns — including family vocabulary and common masculine nouns.
More People & Family Nouns
- die Frau — the woman / the wife
- der Vater — the father
- die Mutter — the mother
- der Sohn — the son
- die Tochter — the daughter
- der Bruder — the brother
- die Schwester — the sister
- 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 Mann? Practice makes perfect.
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Practice German Articles →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mann masculine, feminine, or neuter in German?
Mann is masculine — the correct article is der. Male persons are generally masculine in German. See all gender rules in the Article Rules.
What is the plural of Mann?
The plural is die Männer — with an Umlaut (a → ä) and an -er ending. This is the same -er plural pattern as das Kind → die Kinder. Don't confuse it with the archaic form "die Mannen" (followers/vassals), which has a completely different meaning.
Does Mann mean "man" or "husband"?
Both. "Mann" means "man" (adult male) and "husband" — context makes it clear. When used with a possessive pronoun, it almost always means husband: "mein Mann" = my husband. In general context, it means man: "der Mann auf der Straße" = the man on the street. The formal word for husband is der Ehemann (literally "marriage man").
What is the difference between Mann and Herr?
Der Mann means "man" and is used as a general noun. Der Herr means "gentleman" or "Mr." and is used as a polite form of address: "Herr Müller" (Mr. Müller), "Meine Damen und Herren" (Ladies and gentlemen). Note that "Herr" follows the N-Deklination with a special pattern: den Herrn, dem Herrn, des Herrn (adds -n, not -en).
