Die Jacke in German – Meaning, Gender, Plural & Declension

A smiling young woman, wearing a beanie and sunglasses, walks on a wooden boardwalk through a snowy, rocky landscape, wrapped in a layered olive-green and blue die Jacke (the jacket) to keep her warm against the elements.
Jacke is feminine in German - the correct article is die. The plural is die Jacken. In English, Jacke means jacket.

Gender rule: Nouns ending in -e are usually feminine in German (die Jacke, die Bluse, die Hose). This is one of the most reliable gender patterns. See all gender patterns in the Article Rules and a full overview at the German Articles.
Die Jacke is one of the first clothing words most learners encounter - typically at the A1-A2 level. Below you'll find the full declension, example sentences, and a quiz.

Jacke - Declension Table

Case Singular Plural
Nominative die Jacke die Jacken
Genitive der Jacke der Jacken
Dative der Jacke den Jacken
Accusative die Jacke die Jacken
Note: Like most feminine nouns ending in -e, the plural of Jacke simply adds -n: die Jacken. The singular forms in the genitive and dative are identical: der Jacke. For a full overview of how German articles change across cases, see the Articles Chart. For indefinite articles (ein/eine/einem...), see Indefinite Articles.

Example Sentences with Jacke

Die warme Jacke hängt an der Garderobe.
(The warm jacket is hanging on the coat rack.) - Nominative

Er zieht die neue Jacke an.
(He is putting on the new jacket.) - Accusative

Mit der dicken Jacke friert sie im Winter nicht.
(She doesn't freeze in winter with the thick jacket.) - Dative

Der Reißverschluss der Jacke klemmt.
(The zipper of the jacket is stuck.) - Genitive

Die Jacken sind heute im Angebot reduziert.
(The jackets are discounted on sale today.) - Nominative Plural

In den nassen Jacken wurde uns schnell kalt.
(We quickly got cold in the wet jackets.) - Dative Plural

Related Words & Compounds

Word family (Wortfamilie): das Jäckchen (little jacket - diminutive)

Common compounds (Komposita): die Winterjacke (winter jacket), die Regenjacke (rain jacket), die Lederjacke (leather jacket), die Übergangsjacke (light jacket/between-seasons jacket), die Strickjacke (cardigan)

Common Mistake with Jacke

❌ Common mistake: Die Jackes hängen im Schrank.

✅ Correct: Die Jacken hängen im Schrank.

💡 Why: English often uses "-s" for plurals (jackets), which tricks many learners. In German, the plural of Jacke is formed by adding -n: die Jacken. Do not use an "s".

Quick Quiz: Test Your Knowledge

Can you get all three right? Apply what you've learned above.

1. Er geht bei diesem Wetter nicht ohne Schirm und mit ___ Jacke spazieren.

  • A) die Jacke
  • B) der Jacke
  • C) dem Jacke
Check Answer
Correct Answer: B) der Jacke
The preposition mit always takes the dative. Feminine dative = der: der Jacke.

2. Er hängt ___ in den Schrank.

  • A) der Jacke
  • B) dem Jacke
  • C) die Jacke
Check Answer
Correct Answer: C) die Jacke
The verb "hängen" (when implying directional movement/action) takes an accusative object (what is he hanging?). Feminine accusative = die: die Jacke.

3. Sie kauft die teur___ Jacke.

  • A) -e
  • B) -en
  • C) -er
Check Answer
Correct Answer: A) -e
After the definite article die in the accusative feminine, the adjective ending is -e: die teure Jacke.

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 Clothing Nouns

For more clothing words, check out the German clothing vocabulary list or browse the full grammar overview.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Jacke masculine, feminine, or neuter in German?

Jacke is feminine - the correct article is die. This follows the general rule that most German nouns ending in -e are feminine (die Jacke, die Bluse, die Hose). Since this isn't a universal rule, it is always a good idea to learn the article together with the noun.

What is the plural of Jacke?

The plural is die Jacken. Like most feminine nouns ending in -e, the plural is formed by simply adding an -n. In the dative plural: den Jacken.

What types of Jacke are there in German?

German uses compounds to describe different types of jackets: die Winterjacke (winter jacket), die Regenjacke (rain jacket), die Strickjacke (cardigan), and die Lederjacke (leather jacket). All of these are feminine because the last component - Jacke - is feminine.

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