"Bein" is neuter in German — the correct article is das. The plural is die Beine. In English, Bein means "leg".
Gender rule: das Bein is neuter. Body part nouns in German have mixed genders — der Arm, die Hand, das Bein — so there is no reliable ending-based rule here. The safest approach is always to learn every noun with its article from the start. See all gender patterns in the Article Rules and a full overview at the german articles.
Das Bein is an A1 vocabulary word and one of the most essential body part nouns in German. It appears in everyday contexts — from sports and injuries to simple descriptions — and is a useful example for the neuter declension pattern with a straightforward plural: die Beine. This article covers the full declension, example sentences, word family, a common mistake, and a short quiz. For more masculine body part nouns with a similar plural pattern, see der Arm and der Bauch.
Bein — Declension Table
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | das Bein | die Beine |
| Genitive | des Beines | der Beine |
| Dative | dem Bein | den Beinen |
| Accusative | das Bein | die Beine |
Example Sentences with Bein
Sein rechtes Bein ist nach dem Unfall komplett eingegipst.
(His right leg is completely in a cast after the accident.) — Nominative
Die Chirurgin operiert das Bein sorgfältig unter Vollnarkose.
(The surgeon carefully operates on the leg under general anaesthesia.) — Accusative
Er hat sich beim Joggen am Bein verletzt und hinkt seitdem.
(He hurt himself on the leg while jogging and has been limping since.) — Dative
Die Narbe des Beines erinnerte ihn noch Jahre später an den Sturz.
(The scar on the leg reminded him of the fall even years later.) — Genitive
Ihre Beine zittern nach dem langen Bergaufstieg vor Erschöpfung.
(Her legs are trembling from exhaustion after the long ascent.) — Nominative Plural
Der Trainer massiert dem Läufer die müden Muskeln in den Beinen.
(The trainer massages the tired muscles in the runner's legs.) — Dative Plural
Related Words & Compounds
Word family (Wortfamilie):
- das Beinchen — little leg (diminutive)
Common compounds (Komposita):
- der Beinbruch — leg fracture (also used in the expression Hals- und Beinbruch! — break a leg!)
- das Standbein — weight-bearing leg; also used figuratively for a core activity or mainstay
- das Spielbein — free leg (the non-weight-bearing leg in sport or dance)
Note: das Bein historically also meant "bone" — a meaning preserved in compounds such as das Elfenbein (ivory, literally "elephant bone") and das Beinhaus (charnel house). These are not related to the modern meaning "leg" but are worth knowing for vocabulary building.
Common Mistake with Bein
❌ Common mistake: Ich habe mir die Beinen gebrochen.
✅ Correct: Ich habe mir die Beine gebrochen.
💡 Why: The plural of das Bein is die Beine — not Beinen. The form Beinen only appears in the dative plural: in den Beinen. As a standalone plural form after an article, Beinen is always wrong — use die Beine in the nominative and accusative.
Quick Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
Can you get all three right? Apply what you've learned above.
1. Der Arzt drückt vorsichtig auf ___ Bein des Patienten.
- A) das
- B) dem
- C) des
Check Answer
The preposition auf can take either accusative (movement toward) or dative (location/rest). Here the doctor is pressing on a specific spot — a fixed location, no movement — so the dative is required: auf dem Bein. For neuter nouns, the dative article is dem. Option A) das is nominative/accusative. Option C) des is genitive.
2. Welches ist der korrekte Plural von "das Bein"?
- A) die Beinen
- B) die Beine
- C) die Beins
Check Answer
The plural of das Bein is die Beine — simply add -e. Option A) Beinen is the dative plural form (in den Beinen), not a standalone plural. Option C) Beins does not exist — the -s plural is rare in German and does not apply to native nouns like das Bein.
3. Er hat ein verletzt___ Bein. (Accusative)
- A) -e
- B) -er
- C) -es
Check Answer
After an indefinite article in the accusative with a neuter noun, the adjective ending is -es: ein verletztes Bein. Because ein looks the same for neuter nominative and accusative, the adjective must carry the gender-case signal — this is the strong ending -es. Option A) -e is used after a definite article in nominative/accusative neuter. Option B) -er is the strong ending for masculine nominative.
Want to drill more nouns like this? The Article Trainer gives you 600+ nouns to practice — pick the article, get instant feedback, and stop guessing.
More Body Part Nouns
- der Arm — the arm
- der Bauch — the belly / stomach
- der Kopf — the head
- der Rücken — the back
- die Hand — the hand
- die Schulter — the shoulder
- das Knie — the knee
For the full list with articles and plurals, see the Body Parts Vocabulary page. You can also browse more topic-based word lists in the German Vocabulary Overview and test yourself with the Vocabulary Quizzes.
Is it der, die, or das Bein? Practice makes perfect.
The Article Trainer gives you 600+ nouns to drill — from everyday vocabulary to family, food, and much more. Pick the article, get instant feedback, and stop guessing.
Practice German Articles →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bein masculine, feminine, or neuter in German?
Bein is neuter — the correct article is das. Body part nouns in German have mixed genders, so there is no reliable rule to predict them. The best habit is always to learn every noun with its article right from the start. For a full overview of gender patterns, see the Article Rules.
What is the plural of Bein in German?
The plural is die Beine — simply add -e. Do not use Beinen as a standalone plural — Beinen is only correct in the dative plural: in den Beinen. The nominative and accusative plural are both die Beine.
Does Bein mean "leg" or "bone" in German?
In modern German, das Bein means leg. However, historically it also meant "bone" — a meaning that survives in several fixed compounds: das Elfenbein (ivory, literally "elephant bone") and das Beinhaus (charnel house). In everyday modern German, Knochen is the standard word for bone, and Bein means leg in all normal contexts.
What is the genitive of das Bein?
The genitive singular is des Beines — the shorter form des Beins is equally correct standard German. For neuter nouns, as for masculine nouns, the genitive singular adds -es or -s. See the Cases Overview for more detail.
