Zero Article (Nullartikel) – A1 Grammar
The zero article is used when we speak about a noun in a general or unspecified sense. In this case, we don’t use der, die, or das. Proper nouns (names of people, cities, brands) and professions also take the zero article.
Examples with and without article:
| Without article | With indefinite article | With definite article |
|---|---|---|
| Cola | eine Cola | die Cola |
Example sentences:
- Ich möchte die Cola. — I’d like the cola. (specific cola)
- Ich möchte eine Cola. — I’d like a cola. (some cola)
- Ich mag Cola. — I like cola. (cola in general)
- Anna ist Krankenschwester. — Anna is a nurse. (no article before professions)
Remember: Proper names (persons, cities, brands) and professions typically don’t take an article. They use the null article.