"Mädchen" is neuter in German — the correct article is das. The plural is die Mädchen (no change). In English, Mädchen means "girl"."Das Mädchen" is one of the first words every German learner encounters — and one of the most confusing. It refers to a girl, yet the grammatical gender is neuter, not feminine. This is an essential A1 vocabulary word and the perfect example of why you should always learn German nouns with their article. Below you'll find the full declension, example sentences, and a quiz to test yourself.
Gender rule: The suffix -chen is a diminutive and makes any noun neuter — no exceptions. "Mädchen" comes from "die Magd" (maid) + -chen, which overrides the natural feminine gender. See all patterns in the German Article Rules.
Mädchen — Declension Table
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | das Mädchen | die Mädchen |
| Genitive | des Mädchens | der Mädchen |
| Dative | dem Mädchen | den Mädchen |
| Accusative | das Mädchen | die Mädchen |
Example Sentences with Mädchen
Das Mädchen spielt im Garten.
(The girl is playing in the garden.) — Nominative
Ich sehe das Mädchen jeden Tag in der Schule.
(I see the girl every day at school.) — Accusative
Der Lehrer gibt dem Mädchen ein Buch.
(The teacher gives the girl a book.) — Dative
Das ist die Tasche des Mädchens.
(That is the girl's bag.) — Genitive
Die Mädchen laufen zum Spielplatz.
(The girls are running to the playground.) — Nominative Plural
Er hat den Mädchen geholfen.
(He helped the girls.) — Dative Plural
Related Words & Compounds
Word family (Wortfamilie): die Magd (maid — the original root), das Mädel (girl — informal, southern German), mädchenhaft (girlish — adjective), die Maid (maiden — literary/archaic)
Common compounds (Komposita): das Schulmädchen (schoolgirl), das Kindermädchen (nanny), das Blumenmädchen (flower girl), das Dienstmädchen (maidservant), der Mädchenname (maiden name)
Common Mistake with Mädchen
❌ Common mistake: Die Mädchen ist sehr nett.
✅ Correct: Das Mädchen ist sehr nett.
💡 Why: The suffix -chen always makes a noun neuter — it overrides natural gender. Even though a Mädchen is a girl, the grammatical gender is das, not die. The same rule applies to all -chen diminutives: das Brötchen, das Hähnchen, das Kätzchen. Learn more about this rule in the Article Rules.
Quick Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
Can you get all three right? Apply what you've learned above.
1. ___ Mädchen spielt im Park.
- A) Der
- B) Die
- C) Das
Check Answer
"Das Mädchen" — The suffix -chen makes any noun neuter. Mädchen is always das, never die.
2. Ich gebe ___ Mädchen einen Apfel.
- A) das
- B) dem
- C) den
Check Answer
"Geben" requires a dative object (to whom?). Neuter nouns use dem in the dative: dem Mädchen.
3. Das klein___ Mädchen lacht.
- A) -e
- B) -es
- C) -en
Check Answer
After a definite article in the nominative, the adjective ending is -e for all genders: das kleine Mädchen, der große Mann, die schöne Frau.
Want to practice more nouns like this? The Article Trainer has 600+ nouns — including tricky -chen words.
More People & Family Nouns
- der Junge — the boy
- die Frau — the woman
- der Mann — the man
- das Kind — the child
- das Baby — the baby
- die Schwester — the sister
- der Bruder — the brother
- die Mutter — the mother
Is it der, die, or das Mädchen? Practice makes perfect.
The Article Trainer gives you 600+ nouns to drill — including people & family vocabulary. Pick the article, get instant feedback, and stop guessing.
Practice German Articles →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mädchen masculine, feminine, or neuter in German?
Mädchen is neuter — the correct article is das. This surprises many learners because Mädchen means "girl," but in German the diminutive suffix -chen always overrides natural gender and makes the noun neuter. The same applies to other -chen words like das Brötchen or das Hähnchen.
What is the plural of Mädchen?
The plural is die Mädchen — it stays the same as the singular. This is typical for German nouns ending in -chen and -lein: they don't change in the plural. Only the article changes from das to die.
Why is Mädchen neuter and not feminine?
Because the suffix -chen is a diminutive that automatically makes any noun neuter in German. "Mädchen" comes from the old word "die Magd" (maid) + the diminutive -chen. Grammar gender always beats natural gender in German — the suffix wins.
How do you decline Mädchen in the genitive?
In the genitive singular, Mädchen adds an -s: des Mädchens. In the genitive plural, the noun stays unchanged: der Mädchen. For example: "Das Spielzeug des Mädchens" (the girl's toy).
