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 Westerwald?

How does the declension of Westerwald 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] German low mountain range: delimited by the rivers Rhine in the west, the victory in the north, in the south the Lahn and the dill, a tributary of the Lahn

[2] Forest area in the Obereichsfeld (Thuringia), near the city of Heilbad Heiligenstadt

[1] Der Westerwald ist geologisch ein Teil des Rheinischen Schiefergebirges.

[1] „»Die Kirsche reift daselbst nicht mehr …«, dieses einem Bannfluch gleichkommende Wort über den Westerwald fand sich im Konversationslexikon der Großeltern. … Gewiß, bei genauerem Lesen gab das Lexikon preis, dies gelte nur für Höhenlagen über 480 Meter. Aber davon gibt es im Westerwald nicht wenige … Mußte es dort dem Dasein nicht einfach an Fülle mangeln?“

[1] „Oh, du schöner Westerwald, über deinen Höhen pfeift der Wind so kalt …“ (Refrain des Westerwaldliedes)

[1] Im Westerwald gibt es nördlich der Lahn „beträchtliche Tonvorkommen. Zentrum der hierauf fußenden Keramikindustrie ist Höhr-Grenzhausen im sogenannten Kannebäckerland.“ (aus: Merian: Der Westerwald, Heft 5 / XXI (Mai 1968), Seite 97)

[1] „Ich war schon in der Sekunda so alt wie der Westerwald.“ (Zitat von Thomas Mann)

[1] „Meine Eltern kamen aus einem kleinen Ort den nördlichen Westerwaldes.“

[2] Ein Waldgebiet im Obereichsfeld heißt ebenfalls Westerwald.

German declension of Westerwald?

How does the declension of Westerwald 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] Mountains in Germany Westerwald

[1]