Team is neuter in German — the correct article is das. The plural is die Teams. In English, Team means team.Das Team is one of the most common words in the modern German workplace. It's part of core business German vocabulary and is typically learned at A2 level. Whether you're talking about your Kollegen, a Projekt, or a Besprechung — Team is a word you'll use daily. Below you'll find the full declension, example sentences, and a quiz.
Gender rule: Team is an English loanword. There is no clear gender rule for English loanwords in German — the article must be memorized. A common mistake is using "die" because a team consists of many people, but the grammatical gender is neuter: das Team. See all gender patterns in the Article Rules and a full overview at the German Articles.
Team — Declension Table
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | das Team | die Teams |
| Genitive | des Teams | der Teams |
| Dative | dem Team | den Teams |
| Accusative | das Team | die Teams |
Example Sentences with Team
Das Team hat das Projekt pünktlich abgeschlossen.
(The team completed the project on time.) — Nominative
Der Chef hat das Team für die gute Arbeit gelobt.
(The boss praised the team for the good work.) — Accusative
In dem Team arbeiten Leute aus fünf verschiedenen Ländern.
(People from five different countries work in the team.) — Dative
Die Leistung des Teams war hervorragend.
(The performance of the team was outstanding.) — Genitive
Die Teams stellen ihre Ergebnisse in der Präsentation vor.
(The teams present their results in the presentation.) — Nominative Plural
Zwischen den Teams gibt es einen freundlichen Wettbewerb.
(There is a friendly competition between the teams.) — Dative Plural
Related Words & Compounds
Word family (Wortfamilie): Team is an English loanword — there is no German word family with a shared root.
Common compounds (Komposita): der Teamleiter (team leader), die Teamarbeit (teamwork), der Teamgeist (team spirit)
Common Mistake with Team
❌ Common mistake: Die Team arbeiten gut zusammen.
✅ Correct: Das Team arbeitet gut zusammen. (singular) or Die Teams arbeiten gut zusammen. (plural)
💡 Why: Team is neuter — the article is das, not "die." Many learners use "die" because a team consists of multiple people, but grammatical gender has nothing to do with the number of people — it's about the word itself. If you mean one team: das Team arbeitet (singular verb). If you mean multiple teams: die Teams arbeiten (plural with -s).
Quick Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
Can you get all three right? Apply what you've learned above.
1. In ___ Team herrscht eine gute Atmosphäre.
- A) das Team
- B) der Team
- C) dem Team
Check Answer
The preposition in takes the dative when describing a location (where does a good atmosphere exist?). Neuter dative = dem: in dem Team.
2. Die Geschäftsführung hat ___ Team vergrößert.
- A) dem Team
- B) des Teams
- C) das Team
Check Answer
"Vergrößern" takes an accusative object (what was expanded?). Neuter accusative = das: das Team.
3. Sie leitet ein hochmotiviert___ Team.
- A) -er
- B) -es
- C) -en
Check Answer
After the indefinite article ein in the accusative neuter, the adjective ending is -es: ein hochmotiviertes Team. 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 Projekt — the project
- die Rechnung — the invoice
- die Präsentation — the presentation
- der Lieferant — the supplier
- die Investition — the investment
- der Gewinn — the profit
- das Büro — the office
- 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 Team masculine, feminine, or neuter in German?
Team is neuter — the correct article is das. Team is an English loanword, and there is no universal gender rule for English loanwords in German. A common mistake is using "die" because a team has many members — but grammatical gender is about the word, not its meaning. It's always das Team.
What is the plural of Team?
The plural is die Teams — with an -s ending. This is the typical plural pattern for English loanwords in German. In the dative plural: den Teams (no extra -n because the plural already ends in -s).
How do you say team in German?
German uses the same word: das Team. It's borrowed directly from English and is used in exactly the same way. The German alternative would be die Mannschaft (used more in sports) or die Gruppe (group), but in the workplace, Team is by far the most common word.
What is the difference between Team and Mannschaft?
Das Team is the general word for a group of people working together — used daily in offices, companies, and projects. Die Mannschaft is more specific to sports and competitions — it's the word for a sports team (e.g. die deutsche Mannschaft = the German national team). In a business context, always use Team, not Mannschaft.
