Finding the right gender of a noun

German articles are used similarly to the English articles,a and the. However, they are declined differently (change) according to the number, gender and case of their nouns.

In the German language, the gender and therefore article is fixed for each noun.

The most difficult part of learning the German language is the articles (der, die, das) or rather the gender of each noun. The gender of each noun in German has no simple rule. In fact, it can even seem illogical. For example das Mädchen, a young girl is neutral while der Junge, a young boy is male.

It is a good idea to learn the correct article for each new word together - even if it means a lot of work. For example learning "der Hund" (the dog) rather than just Hund by itself. Fortunately, there are some rules about gender in German that make things a little easier. It might be even nicer if these rules didn't have exceptions - but you can't have everything! The best way to learn them is with the App - Der-Die-Das Train! (available for iOS and Android)

German nouns belong either to the gender masculine (male, standard gender) with the definite article der, to the feminine (feminine) with the definite article die, or to the neuter (neuter) with the definite article das.

• for masculine: points of the compass, weather (Osten, Monsun, Sturm; however it is: das Gewitter), liquor/spirits (Wodka, Wein, Kognak), minerals, rocks (Marmor, Quarz, Granit, Diamant);

• for feminine: ships and airplanes (die Deutschland, die Boeing; however it is: der Airbus), cigarette brands (Camel, Marlboro), many tree and plant species (Eiche, Pappel, Kiefer; aber: der Flieder), numbers (Eins, Million; however it is: das Dutzend), most inland rivers (Elbe, Oder, Donau; aber: der Rhein);

• for neutrals: cafes, hotels, cinemas (das Mariott, das Cinemaxx), chemical elements (Helium, Arsen; however it is: der Schwefel, masculine elements have the suffix -stoff), letters, notes, languages and colors (das Orange, das A, das Englische), certain brand names for detergents and cleaning products (Ariel, Persil), continents, countries (die artikellosen: (das alte) Europa; however exceptions include: der Libanon, die Schweiz …).

German declension of Brocken?

How does the declension of Brocken work in the nominative, accusative, dative and genitive cases? Here you can find all forms in the singular as well as in the plural:

[1] fragment, a mostly irregularly shaped, frequently broken piece

[2] Translated: Something particularly complex, large, heavy or difficult

[3] Transferred: Some of the incoherent words, scraps of language

[1] Er riss sich einen großen Brocken vom Brot ab und steckte es sich in den Mund.

[1] Auf dem Weg lagen große Brocken aus Granit und Gneis.

[2] Diese Aufgabe ist ein besonders harter Brocken.

[2] Der Reiher hat sich einen großen Fisch gefangen, aber diesen Brocken bekommt er kaum geschluckt.

[3] Ich konnte einige Brocken von ihrem Gespräch aufschnappen.

[3] Ich verstehe ein paar Brocken Schwedisch.

[3] „Er war immer fröhlich, sein Wortschatz waren etwa dreihundert Wörter gemischt aus polnischen Brocken, ein paar deutschen.“

German declension of Brocken?

How does the declension of Brocken work in the nominative, accusative, dative and genitive cases? Here you can find all forms in the singular as well as in the plural:

[1] process in which something is cut into irregular pieces, broken, torn (broken)

[2] Southern German, Austrian: The process in which fruits are picked from the shrub or tree, the harvesting process

[1] Opa saß in der Küche und ließ sich durch nichts beim Brocken von Brot in seinen Milchkaffee ablenken.

[2] Nach stundenlangem Brocken von Walderdbeeren bekam sie einen Hexenschuss.

German declension of Brocken?

How does the declension of Brocken work in the nominative, accusative, dative and genitive cases? Here you can find all forms in the singular as well as in the plural:

[1] The highest mountain in the Harz, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany

[1] Auf dem Brocken liegt schon ein halber Meter Schnee.

[1] „In unseren Breiten war das der Brocken oder Blocksberg.“

[1] „Spüren wir nun einigen Sagen und Märchen nach, die sich rund um das Wesen und Wirken guter und böser Hexen, vor allem aber auch rund um den Brocken und seine Region im Hochharz ranken.“

[1] „Goethe war am 10. Dezember 1777 auf den Brocken gestiegen, bei stürmischstem Wetter und gegen den ausdrücklichen Rat wohlmeinender Freunde, durch Eis und Schnee wie ein Lebensmüder.“

[1] „Von den Bergen her kommt ein leichter Donner, der sich wie ein rauer Klangschorf nicht nur über den Brocken hinwegbewegt.“