Der, die, das – how to choose the correct article?

Der, die or das? When to use the definite or indefinite article? How to determine the gender of a noun and how to use German articles? Almost all nouns in German are preceded by a small word that scares even native speakers, but we are not intimidated!

Masculine gender

by object

• male persons – der Mann (man), der Junge (boy)
• male animals – der Bär (bear)
• cardinal points – der Norden (north)
• seasons – der Sommer (summer), der Winter (winter)
• names of months – der Januar (January), der Mai (May), der September (September)
• days of the week – der Montag (Monday), der Mittwoch (Wednesday), der Sonntag (Sunday)
• times of day – der Morgen (morning), but die Nacht (night)
• precipitation – der Regen (rain), der Schnee (snow)
• minerals – der Granit (granite)
• stones – der Rubin (ruby)
• the names of the mountains – der Harz (Harz)
• names of lakes – der Müritz (Müritz)
• alcoholic drinks – der Wodka (vodka), der Sekt (sparkling wine), but das Bier (beer)
• monetary units – der Euro (euro), die Krone (crown), die Mark (mark)
• celestial bodies – der Mond (moon), but die Venus (venus), die Sonne (sun)
• names of car brands – der Opel, der BMW

By ending

Nouns with suffixes:

• -er – der Fahrer (driver)
• -ler – der Sportler (sportsman)
• -ner – der Gärtner (gardener)
• -ling – der Lehrling (student)
• -s – der Fuchs (fox)

Note: Do not confuse the <-er> suffix in derived nouns with words ending in <-er>: die Mutter, die Tochter, das Fenster, etc.

Foreign words with suffixes:

• -ent – der Student (student)
• -ant – der Laborant (laboratory assistant)
• -ist – der Publizist (publicist)
• -et – der Poet (poet)
• -ot – der Pilot (pilot)
• -at – der Kandidat (candidate)
• -soph – der Philosoph (philosopher)
• -nom – der Astronom (astronomer)
• -graph – der Photograph (photographer)
• -eur – der Ingenieur (engineer)
• -ier – der Pionier (pioneer)
• -ar – der Jubilar (jubilee)
• -är – der Sekretär (secretary)
• -or – der Doktor (doctor)

Feminine gender

By object

• female persons – die Frau (woman), but das Mädchen (girl/see neuter)
• female animals – die Kuh (cow), but das Huhn (chicken), das Schaf (sheep)
• the names of the trees – die Birke (birch), but der Ahorn (maple)
• color names – die Aster (aster), but der Mohn (poppy), der Kaktus (cactus)
• the names of the berries – die Himbeere (raspberry)
• the name of fruits and vegetables – die Birne (pear), but der Apfel (apple), der Pfirsich (peach), der Kohl (cabbage), der Kürbis (pumpkin)
• most German rivers – die Elbe, die Oder, die Spree, but der Rhein, der Main, der Neckar

By ending

Nouns with suffixes:

• -in – die Laborantin (laboratory assistant)
• -ung – die Übung (exercise)
• -heit – die Freiheit (freedom)
• -keit – die Möglichkeit (opportunity)
• -schaft – die Landschaft (terrain)
• -ei – die Malerei (painting)

Foreign words with stressed suffixes:

• -ie – die Chemie (chemistry)
• -tät – die Universität (university)
• -tion – die Station (station)
• -ur – die Kultur (culture)
• -ik – die Physik (physics)
• -age – die Reportage (reportage)
• -ade – die Fassade (facade)
• -anz – die Ambulanz (ambulance)
• -enz – die Existenz (existence)

Most nouns with ending in -e:

• die Liebe (love)
• die Kälte (cold)
• die Hilfe (help)
• die Lampe (lamp)

Note: There are also a number of masculine nouns ending in -e: der Kollege, der Junge, der Name, der Gedanke, der Käse and several neuter nouns: das Ende, das Interesse, das Auge.

Neuter gender

Nouns with suffixes:

• -chen – das Mädchen (girl)
• -lein – das Tischlein (table)
• -(s)tel – das Fünftel (one-fifth)

Most nouns with suffixes:

• -tum
  • das Eigentum (property), but der Reichtum, der Irrtum
• -nis
  • das Verhältnis (relation), but die Kenntnis, die Erlaubnis

Foreign words (objects and abstract concepts) ending in:

• -(i)um – das Stadium (stadium)
• -ett – das Kabinett (cabinet)
• -ment – das Dokument (document)
• -ma – das Drama (drama)
• -o – das Kino (cinema)

Nouns with the Ge- prefix:

• das Gewässer (waters/stretch of water)
• das Gebirge (mountain range)
• das Gemälde (painting)

Nouns formed from verbs:

• das Laufen (run) – from laufen (to run)
• das Lesen (read) – from lesen (to read)