Learning the names of countries in German offers fascinating insights, especially when it comes to understanding why some country names require articles while others don’t. German grammar adds an extra layer by assigning articles to certain countries, while others are used without any article. This guide explains the rules behind these differences and provides a comprehensive list of 200 country names in German, organised by continent.
Why Do Some Country Names Use Articles in German?
In German, country names generally fall into two categories: those with articles and those without. Here’s why:
Plural Forms: Some countries that consist of multiple territories or regions are treated as plural nouns and thus require the plural article die, such as die USA (the United States) and die Niederlande (the Netherlands).
Grammatical Gender: Certain countries have feminine or masculine gender assignments in German. Feminine countries, like die Türkei (Turkey) and die Schweiz (Switzerland), often end in -ei or -e. Masculine countries, like der Irak (Iraq) and der Iran (Iran), are exceptions but are consistent in their usage of der.
Historical and Cultural Influence: Some countries use articles due to historical, cultural, or traditional reasons, such as die Ukraine (Ukraine). These articles emphasize a long-standing regional or linguistic context that has influenced their naming in German.
Here’s an in-depth look at why certain countries have retained these articles in German due to their unique historical and cultural contexts:
1. Die Ukraine – Ukraine
Historically, the name Ukraine comes from the Slavic word “u kraïna,” meaning "borderland" or "frontier region." This designation originally referred to territories on the borders of larger empires. In the context of German, the use of die for die Ukraine suggests a region rather than an independent, unified nation, echoing a period when Ukraine was part of larger states, such as the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Russian Empire. The article die in die Ukraine reflects an older perception of Ukraine as "the frontier" or "borderland region" rather than a standalone, unified country. However, as Ukraine has become more established as an independent state, there’s been a growing movement in linguistic circles to drop the article, emphasizing Ukraine’s sovereignty and individuality.
2. Die Schweiz – Switzerland
Switzerland, known as die Schweiz in German, has used the feminine article die due to its roots as a confederation, Confoederatio Helvetica, rather than a single unified state. In medieval and early modern times, Switzerland was seen as a collection of individual cantons rather than a single cohesive nation. The use of die emphasizes Switzerland as a land made up of smaller entities—a "federation of regions." The feminine article likely also stems from Schweiz being derived from Schwytz, one of the founding cantons of Switzerland. In linguistic tradition, the association with “the confederation” continued even as Switzerland became recognized as a unified state. Today, die Schweiz signifies a unified nation, but the historical and cultural sense of a multi-cantonal federation lives on in its feminine article usage.
3. Der Sudan – Sudan
The use of der for der Sudan in German is a remnant of how the region was historically referred to in European languages. Sudan comes from the Arabic “Bilād al-Sūdān,” meaning "Land of the Blacks," a term used historically to refer to the regions south of the Sahara. The masculine article der in der Sudan emphasizes its historical role as a geographic and cultural region rather than a singular, cohesive political entity.
Historically, the Sudan region included various territories and ethnic groups, often governed by different entities. The article der reflects an old German convention of referencing regions in North and Central Africa with a masculine article, maintaining a sense of der Sudan as a broad area rather than just the modern nation-state.
4. Der Libanon – Lebanon
Similarly, der Libanon reflects a geographical and regional tradition in German. The name Libanon originates from the Lebanon mountain range, and der Libanon traditionally referred to "the Lebanon (mountains)" rather than a unified nation. This was common in European languages, where Lebanon was seen as a collection of mountain regions and communities rather than a single state. Over time, as Lebanon became a defined nation, the name remained masculine, keeping the historical article as part of its modern identity.
5. Die Niederlande – The Netherlands
Die Niederlande means "the Low Countries," which historically included regions beyond just the Netherlands we know today. In the German perspective, the die article reflects a plural, as the Netherlands was historically a collection of individual regions and provinces within the Spanish Empire and later the Dutch Republic. By using die Niederlande, German maintains the historical perception of the Netherlands as a federation or collective of low-lying lands (provinces). This plural form continues today even though the Netherlands is now understood as a single, unified country.
6. Die Vereinigten Staaten – The United States
Die Vereinigten Staaten (the United States) uses the plural article die because it represents a collection of states united under one federal government. This convention is consistent across languages that recognize the United States as a union rather than a singular entity. The German article reflects both the literal meaning and the political structure, emphasizing the union of multiple entities within one country.
Summary: Articles as Reflections of History and Structure
In each of these examples, the article usage in German isn’t merely grammatical but carries traces of historical and cultural perception. These articles preserve a linguistic memory of how these regions were understood—whether as federations, borderlands, or collections of provinces—prior to becoming the defined, singular nations we know today. In German, articles for country names often function as a link to their past, providing language learners with a deeper understanding of each country’s unique history and cultural context.
Country Names in German Without Articles
Below is a list of countries in German that do not require articles, organized by continent.
1. Europa- Europe
Albanien – Albania
Andorra – Andorra
Belgien – Belgium
Bosnien und Herzegowina – Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bulgarien – Bulgaria
Dänemark – Denmark
Estland – Estonia
Finnland – Finland
Frankreich – France
Griechenland – Greece
Irland – Ireland
Island – Iceland
Italien – Italy
Kosovo – Kosovo
Kroatien – Croatia
Lettland – Latvia
Litauen – Lithuania
Luxemburg – Luxembourg
Malta – Malta
Moldawien – Moldova
Monaco – Monaco
Montenegro – Montenegro
Nordmazedonien – North Macedonia
Norwegen – Norway
Polen – Poland
Portugal – Portugal
Rumänien – Romania
San Marino – San Marino
Schweden – Sweden
Serbien – Serbia
Spanien – Spain
Tschechien – Czech Republic
Ungarn – Hungary
Vatikanstadt – Vatican City
Weißrussland – Belarus
Zypern – Cyprus
2. Asien- Asia
Afghanistan – Afghanistan
Armenien – Armenia
Aserbaidschan – Azerbaijan
Bahrain – Bahrain
Bangladesch – Bangladesh
Bhutan – Bhutan
Brunei – Brunei
China – China
Georgien – Georgia
Indien – India
Indonesien – Indonesia
Israel – Israel
Japan – Japan
Jordanien – Jordan
Kasachstan – Kazakhstan
Katar – Qatar
Kirgisistan – Kyrgyzstan
Kambodscha – Cambodia
Katar – Qatar
Laos – Laos
Malaysia – Malaysia
Nepal – Nepal
Pakistan – Pakistan
Palästina – Palestine
Singapur – Singapore
Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka
Südkorea – South Korea
Syrien – Syria
Taiwan – Taiwan
Tadschikistan – Tajikistan
Thailand – Thailand
Turkmenistan – Turkmenistan
Usbekistan – Uzbekistan
Vietnam – Vietnam
3. Afrika- Africa
Ägypten – Egypt
Äquatorialguinea – Equatorial Guinea
Algerien – Algeria
Angola – Angola
Benin – Benin
Botswana – Botswana
Burkina Faso – Burkina Faso
Burundi – Burundi
Dschibuti – Djibouti
Eritrea – Eritrea
Gabun – Gabon
Gambia – Gambia
Ghana – Ghana
Guinea – Guinea
Guinea-Bissau – Guinea-Bissau
Kamerun – Cameroon
Kap Verde – Cape Verde
Kenia – Kenya
Lesotho – Lesotho
Liberia – Liberia
Libyen – Libya
Madagaskar – Madagascar
Malawi – Malawi
Mali – Mali
Marokko – Morocco
Mauretanien – Mauritania
Mauritius – Mauritius
Mosambik – Mozambique
Namibia – Namibia
Niger – Niger
Nigeria – Nigeria
Ruanda – Rwanda
Sambia – Zambia
Sao Tomé und Príncipe – Sao Tome and Principe
Sierra Leone – Sierra Leone
Simbabwe – Zimbabwe
Somalia – Somalia
Sudan – Sudan
Südsudan – South Sudan
Swasiland (Eswatini) – Eswatini
Tansania – Tanzania
Togo – Togo
Tunesien- Tunisia
Tschad – Chad
Uganda – Uganda
Zentralafrikanische Republik – Central African Republic
4. Nord & Süd-Amerika- North & South America
Argentinien – Argentina
Antigua und Barbuda – Antigua and Barbuda
Aruba – Aruba
Barbados – Barbados
Belize – Belize
Bolivien – Bolivia
Brasilien – Brazil
Chile – Chile
Costa Rica – Costa Rica
Dominica – Dominica
Dominikanische Republik – Dominican Republic
Ecuador – Ecuador
El Salvador – El Salvador
Falklandinseln – Falkland Islands
Französisch-Guayana – French Guiana
Grenada – Grenada
Guadeloupe – Guadeloupe
Guatemala – Guatemala
Guyana – Guyana
Haiti – Haiti
Honduras – Honduras
Jamaika – Jamaica
Kanada – Canada
Kolumbien – Colombia
Kuba – Cuba
Mexiko – Mexico
Montserrat – Montserrat
Nicaragua – Nicaragua
Panama – Panama
Paraguay – Paraguay
Peru – Peru
Saint Lucia – Saint Lucia
Saint-Barthélemy – Saint Barthélemy
Sint Maarten – Sint Maarten
St. Kitts und Nevis – Saint Kitts and Nevis
St. Vincent und die Grenadinen – Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Suriname – Suriname
Trinidad und Tobago – Trinidad and Tobago
Uruguay – Uruguay
Venezuela – Venezuela
5. Ozeanien- Oceania
Australien – Australia
Cookinseln – Cook Islands
Fidschi – Fiji
Französisch-Polynesien – French Polynesia
Kiribati – Kiribati
Marshallinseln – Marshall Islands
Mikronesien – Micronesia
Nauru – Nauru
Neuseeland – New Zealand
Neukaledonien – New Caledonia
Niue – Niue
Nördliche Marianen – Northern Mariana Islands
Palau – Palau
Papua-Neuguinea – Papua New Guinea
Salomonen – Solomon Islands
Samoa – Samoa
Timor-Leste (Osttimor) – East Timor
Tokelau – Tokelau
Tonga – Tonga
Tuvalu – Tuvalu
Vanuatu – Vanuatu
Wallis und Futuna – Wallis and Futuna
Amerikanisch-Samoa – American Samoa
Countries with Articles in German
Below are countries that require articles in German due to plural form, gender, or historical reasons.
Plural Countries (Use “die”)
die USA – the United States of America
die Vereinigten Arabischen Emirate – the United Arab Emirates
die Bahamas – the Bahamas
die Malediven – the Maldives
die Niederlande – the Netherlands
die Philippinen – the Philippines
Feminine Countries (Use “die”)
die Schweiz – Switzerland
die Türkei – Turkey
die Ukraine – Ukraine
die Slowakei – Slovakia
die Mongolei – Mongolia
die Elfenbeinküste – Ivory Coast
die Demokratische Republik Kongo – Democratic Republic of the Congo
Masculine Countries (Use “der”)
der Irak – Iraq
der Iran – Iran
der Jemen – Yemen
der Kongo – Congo
der Libanon – Lebanon
der Sudan – Sudan
der Oman – Oman
der Tschad – Chad
Which German Prepositons to Use for Countries?
In German, the choice of preposition for countries depends on whether the country has an article or not, as well as the context in which the country is mentioned. Here’s a guide to using the right prepositions with country names in German:
1. Countries Without Articles (Most Countries)
For most countries that don’t require an article, use the following prepositions:
In: One of nine dual prepositions in German that is used with countries for locations or destinations, indicating where something happens or where someone is going.
Example: Ich lebe in Deutschland. (I live in Germany.)
Example: Ich reise nach Spanien. (I’m travelling to Spain.)
Nach: One of the most common dative prepositions in German, nach is used for motion towards a country when describing where someone is going (if the country doesn’t have an article).
Example: Ich fliege nach Japan. (I’m flying to Japan.)
2. Countries with Articles
Some countries require articles (e.g., die USA, die Schweiz, der Sudan). For these countries, the prepositions vary slightly:
In + dative: Used for locations in countries with articles. Combine in with the appropriate dative article (e.g., in der, in den) to indicate that someone or something is in that country.
Example: Ich wohne in der Schweiz. (I live in Switzerland.)
Example: Wir sind im Sudan. (We are in Sudan.)
In + accusative: Used for movement toward a country that takes an article. Combine in with the appropriate accusative article when describing where someone is going.
Example: Ich fahre in die Türkei. (I’m traveling to Turkey.)
Example: Wir ziehen in den Libanon. (We’re moving to Lebanon.)
An + accusative: Some countries with coastlines or borders may use an with an accusative article, especially if the travel is near or to the coast/border (though in is still most common).
Example: Wir fahren an die Küste der Niederlande. (We’re going to the coast of the Netherlands.)
Aus + dative: Used for indicating origin or where someone is from in combination with the dative article.
Example: Ich komme aus der Schweiz. (I come from Switzerland.)
Example: Er kommt aus den USA. (He comes from the USA.)
Preposition Summary Table
Context | Without Article (Most Countries) | With Article (e.g., die Schweiz, die USA, der Iran) |
Location | in + country | in + dative article (e.g., in der Schweiz) |
Destination | nach + country | in + accusative article (e.g., in die Türkei) |
Origin | aus + country | aus + dative article (e.g., aus den USA) |
Examples for Clarity
Ohne Artikel:
Ich fliege nach Italien. (I’m flying to Italy.)
Er wohnt in Frankreich. (He lives in France.)
Sie kommt aus Schweden. (She comes from Sweden.)
Mit Artikel:
Ich fahre in die Schweiz. (I’m travelling to Switzerland.)
Wir sind im Libanon. (We are in Lebanon.)
Er kommt aus den Vereinigten Arabischen Emiraten. (He is from the United Arab Emirates.)
By following these guidelines, you can accurately choose the correct prepositions with country names in German.
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