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 Funke?

How does the declension of Funke 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] Small, burning glowing particle in the air

[2] Electrical spark discharge

[3] Translated: Low track of something

[4] player in the carnival in the uniform of the former Cologne city soldiers

[1] „Klein ist der Funke, doch bald wird er ein großer Brand.

[1] „Das Pulverfass wartet nur noch auf den zündenden Funken.“

[2] „Nach dem Anlegen einer Hochspannung wird durch überspringende Funken Probenmaterial atomisiert und die Atome durch die Energiezufuhr zu Lichtemission angeregt.“

[2] „[E]ndlich teilten sich die kaum merklichen Atembewegungen der Brust, des Rückens, der Kleider der schönen Frau, ihr ganzes holdes Leben Raphael mit, wie ein elektrischer Funke, der überspringt.“

[3] „Nur Alban, seines Freundes zartes Gemüt schonend, verschmähte es nicht, ihm in seine kleinen fantastischen Blumengärten zu folgen, wiewohl er nicht unterließ, ihn dann auch oft wieder in die rauhen Stürme des wirklichen Lebens zurückzuführen, und so jeden Funken von Kraft und Mut, der vielleicht im Innern glimmte, zur Flamme zu entzünden.“

[4] „In Köln ziehen ununterbrochen seit dem ersten Rosenmontagszug 1823 die Roten Funken als feste Gruppe in jedem Zug bis heute mit.“

German declension of Funke?

How does the declension of Funke 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] colloquially: a short form for a radio

[1] Gib mal die Funke rüber.

[1] Nach vielen Versuchen habe ich festgestellt[,] das[s] die Schaltimpulse der Einspritzdüsen bei laufendem Motor ein extremes Knattern in der Funke produzieren.