Der Die Das – Rules for Articles / Genders in German
Introduction
In German language, there are three definite articles for nouns in singular: « der » for masculine nouns, « die » for feminine nouns and « das » for neutral nouns. German native speakers know mostly intuitively what the article of each noun is. However, non-native speakers need to memorize the articles. There are several rules and guidelines determining the articles of some categories of nouns. But beware exceptions.
1. Rules for Article 'Der'
The following nouns have the article der:
| Names | Examples |
|---|---|
| Nouns for masculine persons and functions/professions | Vater, Pilot, Arzt |
| Seasons | Frühling, Sommer, Herbst, Winter |
| Months | Januar, Juli, Dezember |
| Days of the week | Montag, Dienstag, Sonntag |
| Compass directions | Nordwest(en), Süd(en) |
| Precipitations | Regen, Schnee, Hagel |
| Car brands | Audi, BMW, Mercedes |
| Trains | IC |
| Nouns derived from verbs without suffix | Gang, Fang |
Furthermore, nouns with the suffixes below have the article der:
| Suffix | Examples |
|---|---|
| -er (nouns derived from verbs) | Fahrer, Lehrer |
| -ismus | Kapitalismus, Journalismus |
The following categories of nouns have mainly the article der, but beware exceptions:
| Names | Examples | Exceptions |
|---|---|---|
| Alcoholic beverages | Cognac, Wein, Whiskey | das Bier |
| Rivers outside Europe | Amazonas, Mississippi | |
| Mountains | Mont Blanc, Kilimanjaro | die Zugspitze |
Most of nouns with the following suffixes have the article der, but beware exceptions:
| Suffix | Examples | Exceptions |
|---|---|---|
| -ant | Demonstrant, Elefant | das Croissant, das Restaurant |
| -ling | Lehrling, Schützling | das Dribbling, das Bowling |
| -ner | Rentner, Schaffner, Zöllner | das Banner, die Wiener (Wurst) |
| -or | Motor, Traktor | das Gegentor, das Chlor |
Beware: This is applicable only to nouns in singular. All nouns in plural have the article die.
Beware: Diminutives have always the article das: der Kopf → das Köpfchen.
2. Rules for Article 'Die'
The following nouns have the article die:
| Names | Examples |
|---|---|
| Nouns for feminine persons and functions/professions | Mutter, Friseuse, Ärztin |
| Motorcycle brands | Harley Davidson, Yamaha, BMW (only motorcycle) |
| Planes and ships | Boeing 747, Titanic |
| Cardinal numbers | Eins, Drei |
The following categories of nouns have mainly the article die, but beware exceptions:
| Names | Examples | Exceptions |
|---|---|---|
| Plants and trees | Birke, Chrysantheme, Rose | der Ahorn, das Veilchen |
Furthermore, nouns with the suffixes below have the article die:
| Suffix | Examples |
|---|---|
| -falt | Vielfalt |
| -heit | Freiheit, Sicherheit |
| -keit | Möglichkeit, Schnelligkeit |
| -schaft | Freundschaft, Mannschaft |
| -t (nouns derived from verbs) | Fahrt, Tat |
| -ung | Leitung, Zeitung |
Foreign nouns with the suffixes below have the article die:
| Suffix | Examples |
|---|---|
| -ade | Hitparade, Marmelade |
| -age | Garage, Passage |
| -anz | Eleganz, Dominanz |
| -enz (nouns derived from verbs) | Existenz, Tendenz |
| -ik | Kritik, Musik |
| -ion | Diskussion, Koalition |
| -tät | Identität, Qualität |
| -ur | Agentur, Reparatur |
Most of nouns with the following suffixes have the article die, but beware exceptions:
| Suffix | Examples | Exceptions |
|---|---|---|
| -e | Grenze, Lampe | der Junge, der Friede |
| -ei | Abtei, Metzgerei | das Ei, der Papagei |
| -ie | Diplomatie, Psychologie | der Junkie, der Hippie |
| -in | Ärztin, Studentin | das Benzin, der Harlekin |
Beware: Diminutives have always the article das: die Hand → das Händchen.
3. Rules for Article 'Das'
The following nouns have the article das:
| Names | Examples |
|---|---|
| Diminutives (-chen, -lein) | Kaninchen, Fräulein |
| Nouns derived from infinitives | Essen, Schreiben |
| Nouns derived from adjectives | Gute, Böse |
| Colours | Rot, Gelb, Blau |
The following categories of nouns have mainly the article das, but beware exceptions:
| Names | Examples | Exceptions |
|---|---|---|
| Almost all of the 112 known chemical elements | Aluminium, Kupfer, Uran | 6 Exceptions: der Kohlenstoff, der Sauerstoff, der Stickstoff, der Wasserstoff, der Phosphor, der Schwefel |
| Metals | Blei, Messing, Zinn | die Bronze, der Stahl |
| Fractions | Drittel (⅓), Viertel (¼) | die Hälfte (½) |
Furthermore, nouns with the suffixes below have the article das:
| Suffix | Examples |
|---|---|
| -ial | Material, Potenzial |
Most of nouns with the following suffixes have the article das, but beware exceptions:
| Suffix | Examples | Exceptions |
|---|---|---|
| -ment | Instrument, Parlament | der Konsument, der Zement |
| -nis | Ergebnis, Tennis | die Fahrerlaubnis, die Wildnis |
| -o | Auto, Konto | die Avocado, der Euro |
| -tum | Quantum, Ultimatum | der Reichtum, der Irrtum |
| -um (nouns of Latin origin) | Publikum, Museum, Stadium |
Beware: This is applicable only to nouns in singular. All nouns in plural have the article die.
4. Words with more Articles
There are also many nouns with more articles. In some cases, the article determines the meaning of the word:
| Der | Die | Das |
|---|---|---|
| der Band (hardcover book) | die Band (music group) | das Band (ribbon, tape) |
| der Lama (buddhist priest) | das Lama (animal) | |
| der Kiwi (bird) | die Kiwi (fruit) |
Sometimes, two articles can be used:
- der / das Logo
- der / das Techno
- der / das Virus