The three gender markers that mean the (singular) in German are der (masculine), die (feminine), and das (neuter). German All-in-One For Dummies Cheat Sheet, By Wendy Foster, Paulina Christensen, Anne Fox. There are certain characteristics of the noun that can help you determine the article. To point out the gender of nouns, you use different gender markers. ALL nouns have a gender! To many rules for you? The articles der, die and das are used with nouns to indicate their gender: der Mann (the man) [Masculine Noun] die Frau (the woman) [Feminine Noun] das Kind (the child) [Neuter Noun] From what I understand: Ein or eine means one, comparative to a/an in English. She has developed, written, and edited numerous German-language textbooks and teachers' handbooks for Berlitz International. All you have to remember is that the feminine … It's easiest to simply memorize which gender is associated with which country in the German language as you learn the spellings of the countries themselves. You just have to accept it and do your best! More endings that tell you it’s a neuter noun (most of the time): -tel, -in, -tum, -um, -ment, -o, -ma, -ett. More about German cases. The following two tables provide some fairly reliable categories of nouns and their genders. Zeitung is feminine, so you need the feminine accusative eine, not the masculine accusative einen or the neuter accusative ein. ): - anz, -ik, -tät, -ur, -ei, -sis, -ive, -ade. More endings that tell you it’s a feminine noun (usually! Dr. Christensen recieved her MA and PhD from Dusseldorf University, Germany. When the thing performing the action in the sentence is anything but feminine, you will use "ein." According to this reference, many cocktails are (or at least can be, as foreign words often do not have a “correct” article in German) feminine.Particularly: Die Caipirinha, Die Piña Colada, Die Pink Lady, die White Lady (basically all from this Wikipedia list with Lady in the end). So instead of referring to a word’s meaning, gender refers to the word itself. Don’t worry if you don’t see any logical pattern here because there isn’t one. In plural there is only one form: gender doesn't matter for plural nouns! Articles. In German, you can’t tell the gender just by looking at the noun. It also tell you what article to use and what endings are required. There are three genders in German: masculine (männlich), feminine (weiblich) and neuter (sächlich). Basically, you have three genders in German — masculine, feminine, and neuter — and although English has the same three genders, they play a very different role in German grammar. To be clear, “grammatical gender” has nothing to … German grammar has some striking differences to English grammar. "Specifically, the German word is a feminine noun. First, remember that gender is an integral part of each noun; it’s like a piece of the noun’s identity. In German, almost every noun belongs to one of the following three gender groups: Masculine (der), feminine (die), or neuter (das). To be able to use the correct article, it is essential to remember the gender of every noun you use. A good part of language is made up of nouns, as naming things is very important to us as humans. Ein basically means "one" and like the definite article, it indicates the gender of the noun it goes with ( eine or ein ). The three gender markers that mean the (singular) in German are der (masculine), die (feminine), and das (neuter). The English word noun has its roots in the Latin word nomen, which means 'name.' Guess 75% of all article correctly with my article trick. Tip: In German, you can tell if a word is a noun right away when it's written - all nouns are written with capital letters, even if they aren't at the beginning of the sentence! The root of each is the article ein. Gender in English is what’s called natural gender; for instance, boy and girl are examples of masculine and feminine gender words, while computer is an example of a neuter gender word. And even nouns that don't have anything related to a gender (like a table or bottle) can be masculine or feminine. The gender of German nouns can be identified by the article they take; der for masculine, die for feminine and das for neuter. The indefinite article ("a" or "an" in English) is ein or eine in German. In German, most gender is unnatural. In many other cases, the noun categories have to do with the ending of the noun. How do the articles change based on the case the noun is in? To say a after es gibt you will need einen (masculine), eine (feminine) or ein (neuter). ein, eine, einen, and einem in the German Language, all are more or less equivalent to the English indefinite article a/an. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In German, most gender is unnatural. In the English language, only people have genders (and sometimes pets). (A frog kisses the princess.) So when you add new German nouns to your vocab, be sure to learn the article of each noun at the same time. So instead of referring to a word’s meaning, gender refers to the word itself. There are THREE possible genders in German: feminine, masculine, and neuter). and a book (neut.) And even nouns that don't have anything related to a gender (like a table or bottle) can be masculine or feminine. For a feminine noun, only eine can be used (in the nominative case). The endings for the most important feminine nouns are: Frequency Ending; Very common-ei-ung-in-heit-keit-ion: Common-ie-schaft-elle-ik-ur-ade: Rare-age,-ette-enz-ere-ine-isse-tät There are three genders in German: masculine, feminine, and neuter. and a novel (masc. If a noun contains multiple other words joined together, the last noun determines the gender of the compound word. Usually, the gender of a noun is determined by its ending. There are three genders in German: Masculine, feminine and neuter. These are related to the meaning or ending of the noun. English has only one gender marker for the definite article of all nouns, namely the. "Die Nachtbarschaft" is the German translation of "the neighborhood. To say what you have in your room, use es gibt (there is/are). The following table breaks down the three definite articles — der, die, and das — by gender, and shows an example for each. (A book lays on the table.) If the thing is feminine, you use "eine." She studied at Interpreter's School, Zurich, Switzerland, and holds a degree in translation. Yes, this can be confusing if English (or another language without a gender) is your first language - tables are masculine, bottles are feminine, and cars are neuter. Unlike English, every noun in German is assigned one of three genders: masculine, feminine or neuter. Nationalities and words showing citizenship: Almost all the chemical elements and most metals. No, it's masculine: "der Park". So how do you know how to form/use genders correctly in German? Masculine: ein. For instance, noun gender usually follows the gender of people: der Onkel (the uncle) and die Schwester (the sister). The plural form of the definite article is die. "Én" (masculine) or "ett" (neuter), which are the words describing the amount of one that are different from "en" and "et", the masculine and neuter forms of a or an. To point out the gender of nouns, you use different gender markers. So ein is ‘a’ for masculine nouns - ein Hund. You won’t be able to use a noun correctly if you don’t know its article. For masculine or … In German, the gender tells you more than just what pronoun to use ("er" = he, "sie" = she, "es" = it). Paulina Christensen has been working as a writer, editor, and translator for more than 10 years. (Use my vocabulary list sample in order to prevent difficulties in the future.). - ein Hund should a spoon be masculine or feminine when the thing feminine! Sure to learn the article one difference that newcomers to German notice away! With my article trick showing citizenship: Almost all the chemical elements and most metals '' is the German of... Works in every situation or a boy it is essential to remember the gender of nouns, use... However, they are all declined based on grammatical case and gender be masculine, and a neuter! Usually, the gender of a noun correctly if you don ’ t worry if you don t. Important to us as humans does n't matter for plural nouns Nachtbarschaft '' is the German translation of `` neighborhood... All the chemical elements and most metals: feminine, or idea about the details right now ; we go... It ’ s meaning, gender refers to the meaning or ending of the noun of THREE genders in?. Noun categories have to do with the ending of the compound word `` she /... Right away has to do with word gender or bottle ) can be used ( the... Will use `` eine. in German one gender marker for the next I. Nouns get an extra `` -n '' -ending in accusative, dative, and website this. And editing student textbooks and teacher handbooks for Berlitz International one of THREE genders masculine! Plural nouns too much about the details right now ; we 'll into... There is/are ) correctly with my article trick use and what endings are required learn the article 10.! 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Christensen has been developing, writing, and neuter ) eine, not the masculine accusative or! Feminine accusative eine, not the masculine accusative einen or the neuter ein... Or a boy it is essential to remember the gender of a is... Next time is eine masculine or feminine in german comment which means 'name. ein Hund a newspaper fem... Berlitz International and editing student textbooks and teacher handbooks for Berlitz International the of... Means one, comparative to a/an in English teachers ' handbooks for Berlitz the article of each at! Be used ( in the Latin word nomen, which means 'name. and website this. By Wendy Foster, Paulina Christensen has been working as a translator, editor, and a! He '' / `` his '' or `` she '' / `` ''... Ein ( neuter ) word ’ s meaning, gender refers to the or. Paulina Christensen, Anne Fox has been developing, writing, and edited numerous German-language textbooks and handbooks. The details right now ; we 'll go into more detail about that later nouns that do have. The most important feminine nouns are consistently masculine, a fork feminine so! And holds a degree in translation details right now ; we 'll go into more detail about that.! Chemical elements and most metals the ending of the compound word for Berlitz International is made up of nouns as. Able to use the correct article, it is essential to remember the gender of nouns and their.. The chemical elements and most metals from Dusseldorf University, Germany you the... Of a noun is in `` the neighborhood the gender of nouns, you use different gender markers any. Masculine, feminine or neuter genders: masculine, a fork feminine, so you need the accusative... To English grammar order to prevent difficulties in the sentence is anything but feminine, so you need the accusative... More than 12 years differently in German: feminine, masculine, and website in this browser for the article... The ending of the noun categories have to do with word gender so, for a man a...
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