Büro is neuter in German — the correct article is das. The plural is die Büros. In English, Büro means office.Das Büro is one of the first words you'll learn in business German vocabulary. It's an A1-level word and used every day — whether you're talking about your workplace, a room, or running errands at an office. Below you'll find the full declension, example sentences, and a quiz.
Gender rule: Büro is a French loanword (from "bureau"). Like many French loanwords, it's neuter in German (das Büro, das Budget, 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.
Büro — Declension Table
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | das Büro | die Büros |
| Genitive | des Büros | der Büros |
| Dative | dem Büro | den Büros |
| Accusative | das Büro | die Büros |
Example Sentences with Büro
Das Büro ist im dritten Stock.
(The office is on the third floor.) — Nominative
Ich muss noch schnell das Büro aufräumen.
(I still have to quickly tidy up the office.) — Accusative
Im Büro gibt es kostenlosen Kaffee.
(There is free coffee in the office.) — Dative
Die Lage des Büros ist sehr zentral.
(The location of the office is very central.) — Genitive
Die Büros werden am Wochenende gereinigt.
(The offices are cleaned on the weekend.) — Nominative Plural
In den Büros arbeiten insgesamt 200 Kollegen.
(A total of 200 colleagues work in the offices.) — Dative Plural
Related Words & Compounds
Word family (Wortfamilie): die Bürokratie (bureaucracy), der Bürokrat (bureaucrat), bürokratisch (bureaucratic — adjective), bürokratisieren (to bureaucratize — verb)
Common compounds (Komposita): der Bürostuhl (office chair), das Bürogebäude (office building), die Büroklammer (paperclip), der Bürobedarf (office supplies)
Common Mistake with Büro
❌ Common mistake: Die Büro's sind im Erdgeschoss.
✅ Correct: Die Büros sind im Erdgeschoss.
💡 Why: German plurals never use an apostrophe. The plural of Büro is simply Büros — not "Büro's." The apostrophe-s plural is an English pattern that doesn't exist in German. This mistake is common among English speakers and is sometimes called the "Deppenapostroph" (fool's apostrophe) in German.
Quick Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
Can you get all three right? Apply what you've learned above.
1. Die Renovierung ___ Büros dauert zwei Wochen.
- A) dem Büro
- B) das Büro
- C) des Büros
Check Answer
"Die Renovierung des Büros" — the genitive shows possession (renovation of what?). Neuter genitive = des + noun adds -s: des Büros.
2. Der Chef hat ___ Büro gewechselt.
- A) des Büros
- B) das Büro
- C) dem Büro
Check Answer
"Wechseln" takes an accusative object (what did he change?). Neuter accusative = das: das Büro.
3. Die Firma hat ein geräumig___ Büro gemietet.
- A) -es
- B) -en
- C) -er
Check Answer
After the indefinite article ein in the accusative neuter, the adjective ending is -es: ein geräumiges Büro. 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
- das Budget — the budget
- die Bewerbung — the application
- die Besprechung — the meeting
- die Aufgabe — the task
- der Arbeitsvertrag — the employment contract
- der Arbeitgeber — the employer
- der Kunde — the customer
- 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 Büro masculine, feminine, or neuter in German?
Büro is neuter — the correct article is das. The word comes from French ("bureau") and, like many French loanwords, is neuter in German (das Büro, das Budget, das Niveau). Since there's no universal rule for loanwords, it's best to learn the article together with the noun.
What is the plural of Büro?
The plural is die Büros — with an -s ending and no apostrophe. This is the typical plural pattern for foreign loanwords in German. Remember: German never uses an apostrophe to form plurals.
How do you say office in German?
The German word for office is das Büro. It can refer to both the physical room where you work and the workplace in general. For a home office, German uses das Homeoffice or das Arbeitszimmer (study/workroom).
What is the difference between Büro and Arbeitszimmer?
Das Büro is the general word for office — your workplace in a company or a professional office space. Das Arbeitszimmer is a study or workroom at home — a room you use for working, studying, or reading. If you work from home, you might say: "Ich arbeite im Homeoffice" or "Ich arbeite im Arbeitszimmer."
