A2-51 · Use country names with and without articles
German-speaking countries
Describe locations and destinations such as in der Schweiz and in die Schweiz.
About 5 minutes to read · 12 quiz questions
01
Travel to names without an article
Most country names appear without an article in ordinary use. For destinations, use nach: nach Deutschland, nach Österreich. For locations, use in: in Deutschland, in Österreich.
Wir fahren nach Deutschland.
We are traveling to Germany.
Mara wohnt in Österreich.
Mara lives in Austria.
Ben fährt nach Wien.
Ben is going to Vienna.
Wir sind in Berlin.
We are in Berlin.
Die Stadt means city and die Sehenswürdigkeit sight or attraction. Berlin and Wien are city names, so destinations also use nach.
02
Use the article with die Schweiz
Some country names require an article, including die Schweiz. Location uses in with the dative: in der Schweiz. Destination uses in with the accusative: in die Schweiz.
Mara wohnt in der Schweiz.
Mara lives in Switzerland.
Wir fahren in die Schweiz.
We are traveling to Switzerland.
Ben kommt aus der Schweiz.
Ben comes from Switzerland.
Die Schweiz hat viele Berge.
Switzerland has many mountains.
Coming from Switzerland uses aus der Schweiz. The article changes with the case; do not use nach before this country name in the ordinary destination phrase.
03
Apply the pattern to other country names
The same case pattern applies to die Türkei. Plural country names use plural articles: die Niederlande, in den Niederlanden and in die Niederlande.
Mara wohnt in der Türkei.
Mara lives in Turkey.
Ben fährt in die Türkei.
Ben is traveling to Turkey.
Wir wohnen in den Niederlanden.
We live in the Netherlands.
Wir fahren in die Niederlande.
We are traveling to the Netherlands.
For a plural location, use dative den and the appropriate noun ending. For a plural destination, use accusative die. These examples help you transfer the rule beyond German-speaking destinations.
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