Is it der, die or das Onkel?

DER

Onkel

The correct article in German of Onkel is der. So it is der Onkel! (nominative case)

The word Onkel is masculine, therefore the correct article is der.

The Ultimate Guide to German Articles: How to Use Der, Die and Das Correctly (The rules and when they apply)

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DER

DIE

DAS

Insel

German declension of Onkel?

How does the declension of Onkel work in the nominative, accusative, dative and genitive cases? Here you can find all forms in the singular as well as in the plural:

1	Singular	Plural
Nominative	der Onkel	die Onkel
Genitive	des Onkels	der Onkel
Dative	dem Onkel	den Onkeln
Akkusative	den Onkel	die Onkel

What is the meaning of Onkel in German?

Onkel has various definitions in German:

[1] In a first degree kinship relationship: brother of mother or father of a person

[1] in einer Verwandtschaftsbeziehung ersten Grades: Bruder von Mutter oder Vater einer Person

But also colloquially: brother-in-law of mother or father of a person

aber auch umgangssprachlich: Schwager von Mutter oder Vater einer Person

[2] Obsolete: 1h Degree: Brother of the Father

[2] veraltet: 1. Grades: Bruder des Vaters

[3] Second or higher degree: son of a big dance or a big monk of some degree

[3] zweiten oder höheren Grades: Sohn einer Großtante oder eines Großonkels irgendeinen Grades

[4] colloquially: Any male, strange person

[4] umgangssprachlich: irgendeine männliche, fremde Person

How to use Onkel in a sentence?

Example sentences in German using Onkel with translations in English.

[1–3] „Oma und Opa waren da, meine Eltern, mein Bruder Sebastian und Onkel Hugo.“[6]

[1-3] "Grandma and Grandpa were there, my parents, my brother Sebastian and Uncle Hugo." [6]

[1–3] „Ich stellte mir Onkel Louis vor, mit seiner Mütze auf dem Kopf, wie er am Steuer seines Citroëns saß und in den sonnigen Süden aufbrach.“[7]

[1-3] "I introduced myself Uncle Louis, with his cap on his head, as he sat at the wheel of his Citroën and broke in the sunny south" [7]

[1–3] Mein Onkel Richard wohnt in Amsterdam.

[1-3] My uncle Richard lives in Amsterdam.

[1–3] „So gesehen ist hier Onkel Gerhard der Außenseiter.“[8]

[1-3] "In this way, Uncle Gerhard is the outsider at the outsider" [8]

[1–3] „Mein Onkel sprach weiter.“[9]

[1-3] "My uncle talked about" [9]

[4] Mama, der nette Onkel dort drüben hat mir ein Plüschtier geschenkt!

[4] Mama, the nice uncle over there has a plush toy for me