"Onkel" is masculine in German — the correct article is der. The plural is die Onkel (no change). In English, Onkel means "uncle"."Der Onkel" is common family vocabulary at A1–A2 level — the counterpart to die Tante (aunt). What catches learners off guard is the plural: unlike der Vater → die Väter or der Bruder → die Brüder, "Onkel" doesn't change at all in the plural — no Umlaut, no extra ending. Below you'll find the full declension, example sentences, and a quiz.
Gender rule: Male persons are generally masculine in German. The plural of "Onkel" is identical to the singular — die Onkel, no Umlaut, no extra ending. This zero-change plural is typical for masculine nouns ending in -el. See all patterns in the German Article Rules.
Onkel — Declension Table
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der Onkel | die Onkel |
| Genitive | des Onkels | der Onkel |
| Dative | dem Onkel | den Onkeln |
| Accusative | den Onkel | die Onkel |
Example Sentences with Onkel
Der Onkel kommt nächste Woche zu Besuch.
(The uncle is coming to visit next week.) — Nominative
Ich habe den Onkel seit zwei Jahren nicht gesehen.
(I haven't seen the uncle in two years.) — Accusative
Die Kinder schenken dem Onkel eine Krawatte.
(The children give the uncle a tie.) — Dative
Das Haus des Onkels liegt am See.
(The uncle's house is by the lake.) — Genitive
Die Onkel meiner Mutter leben alle in Bayern.
(My mother's uncles all live in Bavaria.) — Nominative Plural
Er hat den Onkeln Postkarten aus dem Urlaub geschickt.
(He sent the uncles postcards from his holiday.) — Dative Plural
Related Words & Compounds
Word family (Wortfamilie): die Tante (aunt), der Vater (father), die Mutter (mother), der Neffe (nephew), die Nichte (niece)
Common compounds (Komposita): der Großonkel (great-uncle), der Onkel-Typ (uncle-type — colloquial for older friendly man), onkelhaft (uncle-like — adjective, colloquial)
Common Mistake with Onkel
❌ Common mistake: Meine Önkel kommen morgen.
✅ Correct: Meine Onkel kommen morgen.
💡 Why: The plural of "Onkel" is simply die Onkel — no Umlaut. Because other family nouns like Vater → Väter and Bruder → Brüder add an Umlaut, many learners assume Onkel does too. It doesn't — "Önkel" does not exist.
Quick Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
Can you get all three right? Apply what you've learned above.
1. ___ Onkel ist sehr lustig.
- A) Die
- B) Das
- C) Der
Check Answer
"Der Onkel" — Male persons are generally masculine in German. In the nominative, the article is der.
2. Wir besuchen ___ Onkel am Wochenende.
- A) der Onkel
- B) dem Onkel
- C) den Onkel
Check Answer
"Besuchen" takes an accusative object (whom?). Masculine accusative = den: den Onkel.
3. Das ist das Auto eines reich___ Onkels.
- A) -e
- B) -er
- C) -en
Check Answer
After an indefinite article in the genitive masculine, the adjective ending is -en: eines reichen Onkels. In the genitive, adjective endings are always -en regardless of gender or article type.
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 Tante — the aunt
- der Neffe — the nephew
- die Nichte — the niece
- der Vater — the father
- die Mutter — the mother
- der Bruder — the brother
- die Schwester — the sister
- die Familie — the family
For more A1 vocabulary, explore the full vocabulary overview or test yourself with the vocabulary quizzes.
Is it der, die, or das Onkel? Practice makes perfect.
The Article Trainer gives you 600+ nouns to drill — including family vocabulary and zero-change plurals. Pick the article, get instant feedback, and stop guessing.
Practice German Articles →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Onkel masculine, feminine, or neuter in German?
Onkel is masculine — the correct article is der. Male family members are generally masculine in German: der Onkel, der Vater, der Bruder, der Sohn. See all gender rules in the Article Rules.
What is the plural of Onkel?
The plural is die Onkel — the noun stays exactly the same, no Umlaut, no extra ending. Only the article changes from der to die. Don't add an Umlaut — "Önkel" does not exist. This zero-change plural is common for masculine -el nouns.
What is the difference between Onkel and Tante?
Der Onkel means "uncle" and die Tante means "aunt" — they are the male and female counterparts for parents' siblings. In informal German, "Onkel" and "Tante" are also sometimes used by children for close family friends, even if they aren't actual relatives — similar to "Uncle" and "Auntie" in English.
How do you say great-uncle in German?
"Great-uncle" is der Großonkel — a compound of groß (great/big) + Onkel (uncle). It's masculine because the last word, Onkel, is masculine. The female equivalent is die Großtante (great-aunt). This Groß- prefix works the same way as in die Großmutter (grandmother) and der Großvater (grandfather).
