Do not mix them up
der Elefantenbulle
Elefant is general; Elefantenbulle specifically names a male elephant.
der Elefant
elephant
/eleˈfant/- Plural
- die Elefanten
Der Elefant spritzt sich mit Wasser ab. The elephant sprays itself with water. The four cases
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominativ | der Elefant | die Elefanten |
| akkusativ | den Elefanten | die Elefanten |
| dativ | dem Elefanten | den Elefanten |
| genitiv | des Elefanten | der Elefanten |
A memory tip
Nouns ending in the suffix -ant are consistently masculine and take n-declension (der Elefant, des Elefanten).
Useful expressions
wie ein Elefant im Porzellanladen
ein dickes Fell haben
Your own memory picture
A few lines will do.
What does elephant look like to you?
- der· blue
- die· red
- das· green
No drawing skills needed.
The word in real life
When Germans say “Elefant”
Elefant clearly shows the German n-declension: all singular cases except nominative use Elefanten.
A tiny dialogue
Mia: Siehst du den Elefanten am Wasser?Do you see the elephant by the water?
Felix: Ja, er bespritzt sich mit dem Rüssel.Yes, it is spraying itself with its trunk.