"Neffe" is masculine in German — the correct article is der. The plural is die Neffen. In English, Neffe means "nephew". The female counterpart is die Nichte (niece)."Der Neffe" is family vocabulary at A2 level — it describes the son of your brother or sister. The gender is straightforward (male person = masculine), but like many masculine nouns ending in -e that refer to people, "Neffe" follows the N-Deklination. This means the noun changes in every case except the nominative singular. Below you'll find the full declension, example sentences, and a quiz.
Gender rule: Male persons are generally masculine in German. But careful: "Neffe" follows the N-Deklination, meaning it adds -n in every case except the nominative singular. This is the same pattern as der Junge and der Kollege. See all gender patterns in the German Article Rules.
Neffe — Declension Table
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der Neffe | die Neffen |
| Genitive | des Neffen | der Neffen |
| Dative | dem Neffen | den Neffen |
| Accusative | den Neffen | die Neffen |
Example Sentences with Neffe
Der Neffe kommt am Samstag zu Besuch.
(The nephew is coming to visit on Saturday.) — Nominative
Ich hole den Neffen vom Flughafen ab.
(I'm picking the nephew up from the airport.) — Accusative
Die Tante schenkt dem Neffen ein Buch zum Geburtstag.
(The aunt gives the nephew a book for his birthday.) — Dative
Das Spielzeug des Neffen liegt überall im Wohnzimmer.
(The nephew's toys are all over the living room.) — Genitive
Die Neffen spielen im Garten Fußball.
(The nephews are playing soccer in the garden.) — Nominative Plural
Der Onkel hat den Neffen beim Umzug geholfen.
(The uncle helped the nephews with the move.) — Dative Plural
Related Words & Compounds
Word family (Wortfamilie): die Nichte (niece), der Onkel (uncle), die Tante (aunt), der Bruder (brother), die Schwester (sister)
Common compounds (Komposita): der Großneffe (great-nephew), der Neffe zweiten Grades (second nephew — formal term for cousin's son)
Common Mistake with Neffe
❌ Common mistake: Ich rufe den Neffe an.
✅ Correct: Ich rufe den Neffen an.
💡 Why: "Neffe" follows the N-Deklination. In the accusative, dative, and genitive, the noun must add -n: den Neffen, dem Neffen, des Neffen. Dropping the -n is one of the most common mistakes with weak nouns. The same pattern applies to der Junge and der Kollege.
Quick Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
Can you get all three right? Apply what you've learned above.
1. Das Zimmer ___ Neffe___ ist unordentlich.
- A) des Neffe
- B) des Neffen
- C) dem Neffen
Check Answer
The genitive shows possession (whose room?). Because "Neffe" follows the N-Deklination, the genitive is des Neffen — not "des Neffes" or "des Neffe."
2. Wir besuchen ___ Neffe___ am Wochenende.
- A) den Neffe
- B) dem Neffen
- C) den Neffen
Check Answer
"Besuchen" takes an accusative object (whom?). Masculine accusative = den, and because "Neffe" follows the N-Deklination, the noun adds -n: den Neffen.
3. Die klein___ Neffen spielen im Garten.
- A) -e
- B) -er
- C) -en
Check Answer
After a definite article in the nominative plural, the adjective ending is always -en: die kleinen Neffen, die großen Onkel, die netten Tanten.
Want to practice more nouns like this? The Article Trainer has 600+ nouns — including family vocabulary and all common N-Deklination words.
More People & Family Nouns
- die Nichte — the niece
- der Onkel — the uncle
- die Tante — the aunt
- der Sohn — the son
- die Tochter — the daughter
- der Bruder — the brother
- die Schwester — the sister
- die Familie — the family
For more vocabulary, explore the full vocabulary overview or test yourself with the vocabulary quizzes.
Is it der, die, or das Neffe? Practice makes perfect.
The Article Trainer gives you 600+ nouns to drill — including family vocabulary and all common N-Deklination words. Pick the article, get instant feedback, and stop guessing.
Practice German Articles →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Neffe masculine, feminine, or neuter in German?
Neffe is masculine — the correct article is der. Male family members are generally masculine in German. The female counterpart is die Nichte (niece), which does not follow the N-Deklination. See all gender rules in the Article Rules.
What is the plural of Neffe?
The plural is die Neffen — identical to the accusative, dative, and genitive singular. Only the article tells you whether it's singular or plural. This is typical for N-Deklination nouns: the declined form and the plural look the same.
Why does Neffe follow the N-Deklination?
Masculine nouns ending in -e that refer to people or animals almost always follow the N-Deklination. "Neffe" fits this pattern perfectly. Other family-related examples: der Junge (boy). Work-related examples: der Kollege (colleague), der Kunde (customer).
What is the difference between Neffe and Nichte?
Der Neffe means "nephew" (your sibling's son) and die Nichte means "niece" (your sibling's daughter). Both are A2-level family vocabulary. Note the grammatical difference: Neffe follows the N-Deklination (den Neffen, dem Neffen), but Nichte does not — it declines regularly as a feminine noun (die Nichte, der Nichte).
