Deutsch · A1 · grammar · 4 minutes
Noun gender and definite articles
Learn every noun as der, die, or das instead of guessing from its English meaning.
Understand the choice
Gender controls articles, pronouns, and adjective endings throughout German. Some endings offer clues, but the most reliable beginner habit is storing the article with the noun.
Core rule: Singular German nouns have grammatical gender: der masculine, die feminine, das neuter; plural uses die.
Notice it in context
Der Tisch, die Lampe und das Fenster sind neu.
The table, lamp, and window are new.
Der, die, and das display all three nominative singular genders; sind agrees with the compound plural subject.
Die Bücher liegen auf dem Tisch.
The books are on the table.
Plural Bücher takes die; Tisch later appears as dative dem.
Das Mädchen öffnet die Tür.
The girl opens the door.
Mädchen is grammatically neuter because the diminutive -chen is always neuter.
What to remember
- All diminutives ending -chen or -lein are neuter.
- Many nouns ending -ung, -heit, -keit, and -schaft are feminine.
Common trap: Do not infer grammatical gender from a person’s natural gender or an English article.