Budget is neuter in German — the correct article is das. The plural is die Budgets. In English, Budget means budget. Note the spelling: it's Budget with a g, not "Budjet."Das Budget is a key word in business German vocabulary, especially when talking about finances, project planning, or company resources. It's typically learned at B1 level. The word comes from French and is pronounced with a soft "g" — similar to the French original. Below you'll find the full declension, example sentences, and a quiz.
Gender rule: Budget is a French loanword. Many French loanwords are neuter in German (das Budget, das Büro, das Niveau). Since there's no universal rule for loanwords, it's best to memorize the article. See all gender patterns in the Article Rules and a full overview at the German Articles.
Budget — Declension Table
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | das Budget | die Budgets |
| Genitive | des Budgets | der Budgets |
| Dative | dem Budget | den Budgets |
| Accusative | das Budget | die Budgets |
Example Sentences with Budget
Das Budget für das neue Projekt wurde genehmigt.
(The budget for the new project was approved.) — Nominative
Die Abteilung hat das Budget bereits ausgeschöpft.
(The department has already used up the budget.) — Accusative
Mit dem Budget müssen wir sehr sparsam umgehen.
(We have to be very careful with the budget.) — Dative
Die Höhe des Budgets wird in der Besprechung festgelegt.
(The amount of the budget is set in the meeting.) — Genitive
Die Budgets der einzelnen Abteilungen sind unterschiedlich.
(The budgets of the individual departments are different.) — Nominative Plural
Bei den Budgets gibt es in diesem Jahr keine Erhöhung.
(There is no increase in the budgets this year.) — Dative Plural
Related Words & Compounds
Word family (Wortfamilie): budgetieren (to budget — verb)
Common compounds (Komposita): die Budgetplanung (budget planning), die Budgetkürzung (budget cut)
Common Mistake with Budget
❌ Common mistake: Das Budjet ist zu niedrig.
✅ Correct: Das Budget ist zu niedrig.
💡 Why: Although the "g" in Budget is pronounced softly (like a "j"), the correct spelling is Budget — with a g. This is because the word comes from French, where the letter "g" before "e" is always soft. Writing "Budjet" is a common spelling mistake, especially because the pronunciation doesn't match the German letter "g."
Quick Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
Can you get all three right? Apply what you've learned above.
1. Die Geschäftsführung hat ___ Budget genehmigt.
- A) das Budget
- B) dem Budget
- C) des Budgets
Check Answer
"Genehmigen" takes an accusative object (what was approved?). Neuter accusative = das: das Budget.
2. Die Verteilung ___ Budgets ist noch nicht geklärt.
- A) dem Budget
- B) das Budget
- C) des Budgets
Check Answer
"Die Verteilung des Budgets" — the genitive shows possession (distribution of what?). Neuter genitive = des + noun adds -s: des Budgets.
3. Ein begrenzt___ Budget erfordert klare Prioritäten.
- A) -er
- B) -es
- C) -en
Check Answer
After the indefinite article ein in the nominative neuter, the adjective ending is -es: ein begrenztes Budget. The adjective takes over the gender signal that ein doesn't show — just like das ends in -s, the adjective adds -es.
Want to practice more nouns like this? The Article Trainer has 600+ nouns to drill — including everyday vocabulary. Pick the article, get instant feedback, and stop guessing.
More Work & Business Nouns
- die Bewerbung — the application
- die Besprechung — the meeting
- die Aufgabe — the task
- der Arbeitsvertrag — the employment contract
- der Arbeitgeber — the employer
- der Arbeitnehmer — the employee
- der Kollege — the colleague
- der Chef — the boss
For more work-related vocabulary, explore the Business German vocabulary list or browse the full grammar overview.
Is it der, die, or das? Practice makes perfect.
The Article Trainer gives you 600+ nouns to drill — including everyday vocabulary. Pick the article, get instant feedback, and stop guessing.
Practice German Articles →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Budget masculine, feminine, or neuter in German?
Budget is neuter — the correct article is das. Budget is a French loanword, and many French loanwords are neuter in German (das Büro, das Niveau, das Engagement). Since there's no universal rule for loanwords, it's best to learn the article together with the noun.
What is the plural of Budget?
The plural is die Budgets — with an -s ending. This is the typical plural pattern for foreign loanwords in German (das Auto → die Autos, das Team → die Teams).
How do you spell Budget in German?
The correct spelling is Budget — with a g, not a "j." The word comes from French, where the letter "g" before "e" is pronounced softly. Writing "Budjet" is a common spelling mistake. The pronunciation is roughly "büd-ZHEH" — the "g" sounds like the "g" in the French word "rouge."
What is the difference between Budget and Etat?
Das Budget and der Etat both mean "budget" in German. In everyday business language, Budget is more common. Etat (also from French) is used more in government and public administration contexts — for example, der Bundesetat (federal budget). Note the different genders: das Budget (neuter) and der Etat (masculine).
