der, die or das?
Learning grammatical gender
Every German noun has a grammatical gender: masculine, feminine or neuter. The definite article makes it visible.
| Gender | Article | Example |
|---|---|---|
| masculine | der | der Tisch |
| feminine | die | die Lampe |
| neuter | das | das Fenster |
Learning tip
Always record a new noun together with its article and plural form.
More than one
Plural forms
The definite plural article is always die. The noun ending may change, and some nouns also add an umlaut.
| Pattern | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| -e | der Tisch | die Tische |
| -er | das Kind | die Kinder |
| -en | die Blume | die Blumen |
| umlaut | der Apfel | die Äpfel |
Combining words
Compound nouns
In a compound noun, the final component determines the article, plural and basic meaning.
- das Haus + die Tür = die Haustür
- die Hand + der Schuh = der Handschuh
- die Schule + das Jahr = das Schuljahr
Nouns in sentences
Cases and articles
The case shows the noun's role in a sentence. Articles change according to this role.
- Der Hund schläft. (nominative)
- Ich sehe den Hund. (accusative)
- Ich helfe dem Hund. (dative)
Quick check