This material is intended for those who start learning German at level A1.
German is a language that requires the use of articles with every noun. However, unlike in English, German articles change depending on the gender, number, and case of the noun they accompany. Here are some important rules to keep in mind when using articles in German:
• Three Articles: In German, there are three articles: der
for masculine nouns, die
for feminine nouns, and das
for neuter nouns.
For example, der Mann
(the man), die Frau
(the woman), and das Kind
(the child).
• Noun Gender: It's important to learn the gender of nouns in German because it determines the article to be used. For example, der Tisch
(the table) is masculine, die Tür
(the door) is feminine, and das Buch
(the book) is neuter.
• Plural Nouns: Plural nouns in German take the article die
regardless of gender. For example, die Autos
(the cars), die Hunde
(the dogs), and die Kinder
(the children).
• Cases: In German, articles change depending on the case of the noun. The four cases in German are nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive. Each case has its own set of article forms, which can take some time to learn.
• Exceptions: Some nouns in German do not follow the typical gender rules and may require a different article. For example, das Mädchen
(the girl) is a neuter noun, even though it refers to a female person.
• No Article: Some nouns in German don't require an article, such as proper nouns, abstract nouns, and some mass nouns. For example, Maria
(Maria) or Deutschland
(Germany).
Learning the rules for using articles in German can be challenging, but it is essential for communicating effectively in the language. By paying attention to noun gender, case, and number, and by practicing with various exercises, learners can improve their mastery of German articles over time. Below are some guidelines for determining the correct articles.
derwords
Categories of words related to the masculine gender:
| Males and professions | der Großvater, der Lehrer, der Fahrer |
| Weather | der Regen, der Hagel |
| Wind directions | der Osten, der Westen |
| Seasons | der Herbst, der Winter |
| Months | der September, der Dezember |
| Days of the week | der Donnerstag, der Mittwoch |
| Trains | der IC, der Regionalexpress |
| Car brands | der Nissan, der Audi |
| Alcoholic drinks | der Cognac, der Wein |
| Nouns, formed from verbs without ending | der Gesang, der Fang, der Abbruch |
| Endings can also help determine the masculine gender: | |
| -er | der Rentner, der Rechner, der Computer |
| -ling | der Pfifferling, der Hänfling |
| -or | der Reaktor, der Akkumulator |
| -ist | der Journalist, der Aktivist |
| -ismus | der Aktionismus, der Rheumatismus |
diewords
Categories of words related to the feminine gender:
| Airplanes | die Boing, die Concorde |
| Ship names | die Titanic, die Europa |
| Motorcycle brands | die Harley-Davidson, die Honda |
| Flowers | die Rose, die Tulpe, die Hyazinthe |
| Numbers | die Fünf, die Zwölf, die Zehn |
| Endings can indicate feminine gender: | |
| -e | die Tasche, die Ente, die Lampe |
| -ei | die Wäscherei, die Bäckerei |
| -ie | die Psychologie, die Arterie |
| -in | die Prinzessin, die Ärztin |
| -t | die Fahrt, die Tat, die Nacht |
| -schaft | die Freundschaft, die Mannschaft |
| -heit/-keit | die Gelegenheit, die Schnelligkeit |
| -ung | die Zeitung, die Umleitung |
| The endings of foreign words can also be useful for determining the feminine: | |
| -ion | die Modulation, die Tradition |
| -age | die Drainage, die Passage |
| -ur | die Agentur, die Manufaktur |
| -ik | die Informatik, die Metrik |
| -anz | die Relevanz, die Ignoranz |
| -tät | die Naivität, die Fakultät |
| -ade | die Blockade, die Marmelade |
| -enz | die Präsenz, die Tendenz |
daswords
Categories of words related to the neuter gender:
| Substantivized adjectives | das Schöne, das Gute |
| Substantivized verbs | das Schreiben, das Tippen |
| Metals | das Aluminium, das Messing |
| Chemical elements | das Helium, das Lithium |
| Сolors | das Blau, das Rot, das Gelb |
| Endings may indicate neuter: | |
| Diminutives: -chen | das Hühnchen, das Lädchen |
| Diminutives: -lein | das Kindlein, das Büchlein |
| -um | das Publikum, das Zentrum |
| -nis | das Zeugnis, das Ergebnis |
| -tum | das Altertum, das Kaisertum |
| -ment | das Kompliment, das Parlament |
| -o | das Radio, das Kino, das Auto |
| Nouns with the prefix Ge- are often neuter: | |
| Ge- | das Gehölz, das Geflügel, das Gemüse (collective words) |
| Ge- | das Geräusch, das Gestöber, das Gebet, das Gerüst (abstract terms derived from verbs) |
Sometimes the article determines the meaning of the word, for example:
· der Band (volume)
· die Band (musical group)
· das Band (tape)
Sometimes it is possible to use two or all three articles:
· der / die / das Joghurt
· der / das Meter
· der / das Virus
In the case of compound nouns, the article of the last noun is decisive.
| der Herbst + das Wetter | ➤ | das Herbstwetter |
| der Tisch + die Decke | ➤ | die Tischdecke |
| das Schlafzimmer + der Schrank | ➤ | der Schlafzimmerschrank |
| der Reifen + der Druck + das Messgerät | ➤ | das Reifendruckmessgerät |
| der Monat + das Geld | ➤ | das Monatsgeld |