Appearance
Countries with Articles
Most countries need no article — but a handful always take one.
Maskulin Feminin Neutrum Plural
The rule
Most country names in German are neuter and used without an article: Ich komme aus Deutschland, ich fahre nach Frankreich. But a small group always takes an article, and you must use it in every case.
Feminine (die): die Schweiz, die Türkei, die Ukraine, die Slowakei
Masculine (der): der Iran, der Irak, der Sudan, der Libanon
Plural (die): die USA, die Niederlande, die Philippinen
The article then changes by case just like any other noun: die Schweiz → aus der Schweiz, der Iran → aus dem Iran.
Feminine (die): die Schweiz, die Türkei, die Ukraine, die Slowakei
Masculine (der): der Iran, der Irak, der Sudan, der Libanon
Plural (die): die USA, die Niederlande, die Philippinen
The article then changes by case just like any other noun: die Schweiz → aus der Schweiz, der Iran → aus dem Iran.
nach vs. in — how to say "to a country"
For normal (article-free) countries, "to" is nach: nach Deutschland, nach Spanien.
For these article countries, use in + Akkusativ instead: in die Schweiz, in den Iran, in die USA — never "nach der Schweiz".
die Schweiz — Switzerland
One of the few countries with a feminine article — always "die Schweiz," never just "Schweiz." It has four official languages, including German.
Nom Die Schweiz ist klein, aber sehr schön.
Switzerland is small, but very beautiful.
die Schweiz (feminin) = Switzerland · klein = small · schön = beautiful. "Die" — feminin Nominativ. Schweiz is the subject.
Akk Ich reise gern in die Schweiz.
I like traveling to Switzerland.
reisen = to travel · in = to (direction, + Akkusativ). "Die" stays "die" in Akkusativ (feminine doesn't change). Use "in die Schweiz" for going there — not "nach".
Dat Er kommt aus der Schweiz.
He comes from Switzerland.
kommen = to come · aus = from (+ Dativ). "Der" because feminin Dativ (die → der) after "aus". For feminine countries you always say "aus der Schweiz," never "aus Schweiz".
die Türkei — Turkey
Another feminine country that always needs its article. Germany has a large Turkish community, and Turkish (Türkisch) is one of the most widely spoken languages there.
Nom Die Türkei liegt in Europa und Asien.
Turkey lies in Europe and Asia.
die Türkei (feminin) = Turkey · liegen = to lie / be located. "Die" — feminin Nominativ. Türkei is the subject.
Akk Wir besuchen die Türkei im Sommer.
We visit Turkey in the summer.
besuchen = to visit (+ Akkusativ) · der Sommer = summer. "Die" stays "die" in Akkusativ (feminine). Türkei is the direct object.
Dat Viele Menschen leben in der Türkei.
Many people live in Turkey.
leben = to live · in = in (+ Dativ for location). "Der" because feminin Dativ (die → der) after "in".
die Ukraine — Ukraine
Feminine and always used with the article: "die Ukraine." Watch out — many learners drop the article, but German keeps it in every case.
Nom Die Ukraine ist ein großes Land in Osteuropa.
Ukraine is a large country in Eastern Europe.
die Ukraine (feminin) = Ukraine · groß = big · das Land = country. "Die" — feminin Nominativ. Note: "ein großes Land" is neuter (Land), separate from the feminine Ukraine.
Akk Ich möchte die Ukraine besuchen.
I would like to visit Ukraine.
möchten = would like · besuchen = to visit. "Die" stays "die" in Akkusativ (feminine). Ukraine is the direct object of besuchen.
Dat Sie kommt aus der Ukraine.
She comes from Ukraine.
kommen = to come · aus = from (+ Dativ). "Der" because feminin Dativ (die → der) after "aus".
der Iran — Iran
A masculine country: "der Iran." The article makes the case changes easy to see — der → den → dem, exactly like "der Mann".
Nom Der Iran liegt in Westasien.
Iran lies in West Asia.
der Iran (maskulin) = Iran · liegen = to lie / be located. "Der" — maskulin Nominativ. Iran is the subject.
Akk Ich kenne den Iran nicht gut.
I don't know Iran well.
kennen = to know (be familiar with) · gut = well. "Den" because maskulin Akkusativ (der → den) — the masculine article changes here! Iran is the direct object.
Dat Sie kommt aus dem Iran.
She comes from Iran.
kommen = to come · aus = from (+ Dativ). "Dem" because maskulin Dativ (der → dem) after "aus".
der Irak — Iraq
Like "der Iran," the word "der Irak" is masculine and always keeps its article. You will hear der / den / dem Irak across the cases.
Nom Der Irak ist ein Land im Nahen Osten.
Iraq is a country in the Middle East.
der Irak (maskulin) = Iraq · das Land = country · im Nahen Osten = in the Middle East. "Der" — maskulin Nominativ. Irak is the subject.
Akk Der Journalist fliegt in den Irak.
The journalist is flying to Iraq.
der Journalist = journalist · fliegen = to fly · in = to (direction, + Akkusativ). "Den" because maskulin Akkusativ (der → den) after "in". Use "in den Irak," not "nach Irak".
Dat Er kommt aus dem Irak.
He comes from Iraq.
kommen = to come · aus = from (+ Dativ). "Dem" because maskulin Dativ (der → dem) after "aus".
die USA — the USA (plural)
Always plural in German — "die USA sind …", never "ist." It is short for die Vereinigten Staaten (the United States).
Nom Die USA sind sehr groß.
The USA is very big.
die USA (plural) = the USA · sind = are (plural!) · groß = big. "Die" — plural. Note the plural verb "sind," because USA is grammatically plural in German.
Akk Ich besuche die USA nächstes Jahr.
I'm visiting the USA next year.
besuchen = to visit · nächstes Jahr = next year. "Die" stays "die" in Akkusativ (plural = Nominativ). USA is the direct object.
Dat Meine Freunde wohnen in den USA.
My friends live in the USA.
wohnen = to live · in = in (+ Dativ for location). "Den" because Dativ plural (die → den) after "in". USA takes no extra -n (it's an abbreviation).
die Niederlande — the Netherlands (plural)
The Netherlands is plural in German: "die Niederlande sind …" In the Dativ, the noun even adds an -n: in den Niederlanden.
Nom Die Niederlande sind flach.
The Netherlands is flat.
die Niederlande (plural) = the Netherlands · sind = are (plural) · flach = flat. "Die" — plural, with the plural verb "sind".
Akk Wir besuchen die Niederlande im Frühling.
We visit the Netherlands in spring.
besuchen = to visit · der Frühling = spring. "Die" stays "die" in Akkusativ (plural). Die Niederlande is the direct object.
Dat Er wohnt in den Niederlanden.
He lives in the Netherlands.
wohnen = to live · in = in (+ Dativ). "Den" because Dativ plural (die → den), and the noun adds -n: Niederlande → Niederlanden — a classic Dativ-plural -n.
Countries with articles in one line
A few countries always take an article: die Schweiz/Türkei/Ukraine, der Iran/Irak, die USA/Niederlande.
The article declines like a normal noun (der → den → dem). For "to a country," use in + Akkusativ (in die Schweiz), and for "from," aus + Dativ (aus der Schweiz).