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German verbs used as nouns: always das

Verbs used as nouns are always neuter: das Essen, das Leben, das Treffen.

Any verb can be used as a noun by capitalising its infinitive: das Schwimmen (swimming), das Lesen (reading), das Warten (waiting). Such nouns are always neuter.

61 verbs used as nouns in our dictionary

Look-alikes

These nouns look like a verb but are separate, older words, so they aren’t neuter. Often both exist: der Braten (the roast) and das Braten (the act of roasting).