den
Translation
the (masculine singular accusative)
Examples
Ich sehe den Hund.
I see the dog.
Er hat den Schlüssel.
He has the key.
Wir fragen den Lehrer.
We ask the teacher.
Grammar Patterns
((+ masculine singular noun in accusative)) the ... Ich sehe den Mann.
Similar Words
Synonyms: einen (indefinite article, masc. acc.); Antonyms: diesen (demonstrative, masc. acc.).
Etymology
From Old High German 'then', cognate with English 'the' and 'then'. Its form changed to specify case and gender.
Memory Tips
Think of the 'n' in 'den' as standing for 'action'. The accusative case often marks the direct object receiving an action. 'I see theN maN'.