Do you sometimes get the feeling that your language course becomes a quiz show with you constantly guessing: der, die or das?
Remembering these articles can be tedious. However, don't make the mistake to simply dismiss them as not essential. It will backfire on you as soon as you start to form more complex sentences and get the cases fully involved. Not to worry though, there are some clues to guide you. Take a good look at the ending of the word before deciding on your answer.
Nouns That Are Usually Feminine — Die
The following endings indicate that the word is feminine:
– e, – heit, – keit, – ung, – tion – ie, – schaft,
– tät, – ette, – ade, – age, – ei, – in
die Katze – the cat
die Einsamkeit – the loneliness
die Zeitung – the newspaper
die Situation – the situation
die Industrie – the industry
die Eigenschaft – the characteristic
die Identität – the identity
die Zigarette – the cigarette
die Limonade – the lemonade
die Blamage – the embarrassment
die Polizei – the police
die Pilotin – the female pilot
Nouns That Are Usually Masculine — Der
The following endings indicate that the word is masculine:
– er, – ist, – ich, – ismus, – ling
der Bäcker – the baker
der Polizist – the policeman
der Stich – the sting
der Journalismus – the journalism
der Frühling – the spring
Nouns That Are Usually Neuter — Das
The following endings indicate that the word is neuter:
– chen, – lein, – o, – um, – nis, – ment
das Mädchen – the girl
das Fräulein – the young woman
das Radio – the radio
das Universum – the universe
das Ergebnis – the result
das Fragment - the fragment
Practice Makes Perfect!
Let's face it — there are lots of exceptions here. The best way forward is to develop a mental association between the endings and the corresponding article, so that “Katze” and “Situation” would simply sound wrong with anything other than “die”. It's what Germans call Sprachgefühl, literally language feeling. If you keep at it, you will have it too soon enough.
