German grammar
What gives away der, die or das?
Endings, the last word of a compound and sometimes the meaning. We checked how reliable each ending is against a German dictionary, counting nouns with exactly one article and leaving out compounds.
A compound always follows its last word, even against its ending: das Kinderzimmer because of das Zimmer, although it ends in -er. The article rules, with examples
Endings
The share of nouns with each ending that take the rule’s article.
der Masculine
die Feminine
das Neuter
Word endings: the last word decides
The words that most often end a German compound. The compound takes their article.
der
-bau der
-baum der
-preis der
-raum der
-mann der
-dienst der
-punkt der
-wagen der
-stoff die
-zeit die
-arbeit die
-karte die
-stelle die
-politik die
-form die
-gruppe die
-kraft die
-anlage die
-frau das
-haus das
-recht das
-spiel das
-werk das
-stück das
-buch das
-geschäft das
-blatt das
-system das
-zeichen das
-bild das
-geld das
-papier das
-wesen das
-gut das
-zeug
Word groups: the meaning decides
For some groups the meaning helps more than the ending. Each list shows its exceptions.
Endings you can’t rely on
These endings are often taught as rules, but in a German dictionary their nouns are split too evenly between articles.
| Ending | der | die | das |
|---|---|---|---|
| -o | 43% | 11% | 45% |
| -is | 28% | 61% | 11% |
| -and | 41% | 7% | 52% |
| -al | 33% | 2% | 65% |
| -ma | 5% | 20% | 75% |
| -nis | 1% | 33% | 66% |
| -il | 40% | 2% | 57% |
| -ur | 18% | 72% | 10% |
| -ig | 67% | 12% | 22% |