{"id":2903,"date":"2011-07-06T20:46:14","date_gmt":"2011-07-06T19:46:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jabbalab.com\/blog\/?p=2903"},"modified":"2011-07-06T20:46:14","modified_gmt":"2011-07-06T19:46:14","slug":"the-german-articles-der-die-and-das-with-video","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.jabbalab.com\/blog\/2903\/the-german-articles-der-die-and-das-with-video","title":{"rendered":"The German articles der, die and das – with video"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Der | Die | Das<\/h3>\n

We all know how difficult it is to guess the right gender if it comes to German nouns. The bad news is: There is no official rule for when to use der, die and das. The good news is: There are guidelines which will make it easier to choose between them. We have prepared a great video on this topic which is at the end of the post \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

When to use der<\/h3>\n

Nouns which have following endings are always der<\/strong> nouns:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • ismus<\/strong> \u2013 e.g. der Egosismus (egoism), der Nationalismus, der Organismus, der Sozialismus<\/li>\n
  • ner<\/strong> \u2013 e.g. der Rentner, der G\u00e4rtner, der Klempner, der Trainer<\/li>\n
  • ich<\/strong> – e.g. der Rettich, der Wellensittich, der Strich, der Bienenstich<\/li>\n
  • ling<\/strong> – e.g. der Feigling, der Fr\u00fchling, der Schw\u00e4chling <\/li>\n
  • ig<\/strong> – e.g. der Essig, der K\u00f6nig, der Pfennig<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Nouns which end in the following endings are usually der<\/strong> noun words:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • er<\/strong> \u2013 e.g. der Lehrer, der Retter, der Keller, der Kl\u00e4ger<\/li>\n
    • ist<\/strong> – e.g. der Pianist, der Optimist, der Atheist, der Pazifist<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Some word groups are always der nouns. These groups are:<\/p>\n

        \n
      • days\/months\/season<\/li>\n
      • points of the compass<\/li>\n
      • elements which are ending in \u2013stoff ( e.g. der Sauerstoff – Oxygen)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

         <\/p>\n

        When to use die<\/h3>\n

        Alle plural nouns, regardless what gender they are, use die<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

          \n
        • der Polizist \u2013 die Polizisten<\/li>\n
        • die Frau \u2013 die Frauen<\/li>\n
        • das Auto \u2013 die Autos<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Nouns which end in the following endings are always die<\/strong> nouns:<\/p>\n

            \n
          • heit<\/strong> \u2013 e.g. die Krankheit, die Vergangenheit, die Freiheit, die Sch\u00f6nheit<\/li>\n
          • keit<\/strong> \u2013 e.g. die Einsamkeit, die Vergesslichkeit, die T\u00e4tigkeit, die Aufmerksamkeit<\/li>\n
          • ung<\/strong> \u2013 e.g. die L\u00f6sung, die Leistung, die Fortsetzung, die Einstellung<\/li>\n
          • t\u00e4t<\/strong> \u2013 e.g. die Indentit\u00e4t, die Negativit\u00e4t, die Kapazit\u00e4t, die Elektrizit\u00e4t<\/li>\n
          • schaft<\/strong> \u2013 e.g. die Grafschaft, die Gewerkschaft, die Bereitschaft, die Freundschaft<\/li>\n
          • ie<\/strong> \u2013 e.g. die Phobie, die Magie, die Fantasie, die Melodie<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Nouns which end in the following endings are usually die<\/strong> nouns:<\/p>\n

              \n
            • ik<\/strong> \u2013 e.g. die Mathematik, die Kritik, die Physik, die Musik<\/li>\n
            • in<\/strong> (when talking about female people, nationalities or occupations) \u2013 e.g. die Schneiderin, die Metzgerin, die L\u00f6win<\/li>\n
            • ei<\/strong> \u2013 e.g. die Metzgerei, die Schneiderei, die Zauberei, die Datei<\/li>\n
            • e<\/strong> \u2013 e.g. die Tante, die Ratte, die Glatze, die Per\u00fccke<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

               <\/p>\n

              When to use das:<\/h3>\n

              Nouns which end in the following endings are always das<\/strong> nouns:<\/p>\n

                \n
              • chen<\/strong> \u2013 e.g. das M\u00e4dchen, das Br\u00f6tchen, das Veilchen<\/li>\n
              • lein<\/strong> \u2013 e.g. das Fr\u00e4ulein, das M\u00e4nnlein<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                Nouns which end in the following endings are usually das<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

                  \n
                • o<\/strong> \u2013 e.g. das Motto, das Foto, das Logo, das Tempo<\/li>\n
                • nis<\/strong> – e.g. das Zeugnis, das Hindernis, das Verh\u00e4ltnis, das Ergebnis<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                   <\/p>\n