1) The nominative article: der (masculine), die (feminine) or das (neuter).
der Vater |
die Mutter |
das Pferd |
der Tisch |
die Feder |
In German, there are sometimes very different words for male and female, just as in English.
der Mann |
man |
der Vater |
father |
der Bulle |
bull |
die Frau |
woman |
die Mutter |
mother |
die Kuh |
cow |
The animals themselves can be any gender.
der Hund |
dog |
die Schlange |
snake |
das Vieh |
cattle |
Some nouns have two genders and the meaning of the word changes
der See |
lake |
die See |
sea |
der Leiter |
leader, manager |
die Leiter |
ladder |
der Band |
volume, book |
das Band |
ribbon, band, tape; bond |
Many masculine nouns can be made feminine by adding -in in the sing and -innen in the plural.
der Lehrer |
(male) teacher |
die Lehrerin |
(female) teacher |
Lehrer und Lehrerinnen |
(male and female) teachers |
der Leser |
(male) reader |
die Leserin |
(female) reader |
unsere Leser und Leserinnen |
our readers |
2) Masculine nouns
Nouns referring to male people and animals are masculine.
der Mann |
man |
der Löwe |
(male) lion |
Seasons, months, days of the week, weather and points of the compass are masculine.
der Sommer |
summer |
der August |
August |
der Freitag |
Friday |
der Wind |
wind |
der Norden |
north |
Most nouns referring to things that perform an action are also masculine.
der Wecker |
alarm clock |
der Computer |
computer |
German nouns from other languages and ending in -ant, -ast, -ismus, and -or are masculine:
der Passant |
passer-by |
der Ballast |
ballast |
der Kapitalismus |
capitalism |
der Tresor |
safe |
Nouns with the following endings are masculine.
Masculine Ending |
Example |
Meaning |
-ich |
der Teppich |
carpet |
-ig |
der Essig |
vinegar |
-ling |
der Frühling |
spring |
3) Feminine nouns
Most nouns ending in -e are feminine.
die Falte |
crease, wrinkle |
die Brücke |
bridge |
Note that male people or animals ending in -e are masculine, and, nouns beginning with Ge- and ending in -e are normally neuter.
der Löwe |
lion |
das Getreide |
crop |
Nouns with the following endings are feminine.
Feminine Ending |
Example |
Meaning |
-heit |
die Schönheit |
beauty |
-keit |
die Sehenswürdigkeit |
sight |
-schaft |
die Gewerkschaft |
trade union |
-ung |
die Zeitung |
newspaper |
-ei |
die Bäckerei |
bakery |
German nouns from other languages and ending in -anz, -enz, -ie, -ik, -ion, -tät, -ur are feminine, with some exceptions.
die Distanz |
distance |
BUT: der Kranz |
wreath |
die Konkurrenz |
rivalry |
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die Theorie |
theory |
BUT: das Knie |
knee |
die Panik |
panic |
BUT: der Pazifik |
Pacific |
die Union |
union |
BUT: der Spion |
spy |
die Elektrizität |
electricity |
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die Temperatur |
temperature |
BUT: das Abitur |
A levels |
Numbers used in counting, for example one, three, fifty are feminine.
Er hat eine Drei gekriegt. |
He got a three. |
Some German adjectives are used as feminine nouns.
eine Deutsche |
a German woman |
die Abgeordnete |
the female MP |
4) Neuter nouns
Most nouns beginning with Ge- are neuter.
das Gericht |
dish, court |
das Gesicht |
face |
das Geschöpf |
creature |
Nouns ending in -lein or -chen are also neuter.
Endings to form the diminutive |
Example |
Meaning |
-lein |
das Tischlein |
little table |
-chen |
das Häuschen |
little house |
Note that if these words have one of the vowels a, o or u, an umlaut should be added above the vowel. The final -e should also be dropped before these endings
der Bach → Bäch → das Bächlein |
(small) stream |
die Katze → Kätz → das Kätzchen |
kitten |
Fractions are also neuter.
ein Drittel davon |
a third of it |
Nouns which refer to young humans and animals are neuter.
das Baby |
baby |
das Kind |
child |
das Kalb |
calf |
das Lamm |
lamb |
Infinitives (the “to” form of verbs) used as nouns are neuter.
das Schwimmen |
swimming |
das Spielen |
playing |
das Radfahren |
cycling |
Nouns with the following endings are neuter.
Neuter Ending |
Example |
Meaning |
-nis |
das Ereignis |
event |
-tum |
das Eigentum |
property |
German nouns from other languages and ending in -at, -ett, -fon, -ma, -ment, -um are neuter.
das Reservat |
reservation |
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das Tablett |
tray |
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das Telefon |
phone |
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das Thema |
subject, topic |
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das Medikament |
drug |
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das Ultimatum |
ultimatum |
BUT: der Reichtum |
wealth |
das Studium studies |
Compound nouns: a noun made up of two or more words.
these words nearly always take their gender from the LAST noun of the compound word.
die Armbanduhr (Armband + die Uhr) |
wristwatch |
der Tomatensalat (Tomaten + der Salat) |
tomato salad |
der Fußballspieler (Fußball + der Spieler) |
footballer |