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Noun Gender Rules
Endings and categories that reveal der, die or das.
Reliable endings
| Gender | Endings / categories | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| die | -ung, -heit, -keit, -schaft, -tion, -tät, -ik, -ur, -ie, -ei | die Zeitung, die Freiheit, die Nation, die Universität |
| der | -er (people/tools), -ismus, -ling, -or | der Lehrer, der Tourismus, der Frühling |
| das | -chen, -lein, -ment, -um, -tum | das Mädchen, das Instrument, das Datum |
Categories
- der: days, months, seasons (der Montag, der Mai, der Winter), weather (der Regen), most car brands (der BMW).
- die: most flowers and trees (die Rose, die Eiche), many German rivers (die Donau, die Elbe), numbers as nouns (die Eins).
- das: young beings (das Kind, das Baby), colours as nouns (das Rot), infinitives as nouns (das Essen), most metals (das Gold).
Exceptions to remember
- das Mädchen is neuter although it means "girl" (-chen rule).
- der Rhein and der Main are masculine rivers.
- der Käse (cheese), die Butter, das Brot are everyday words you simply have to memorise.
- Some endings are not fully reliable: always check new nouns in a dictionary.
Tip
Colour-code your notes: blue for der, red for die, green for das. The flashcards in this app use the same colours.