How to Germany: German Articles (der, die, das)

Hello,

You are not alone in your struggle to learn all the German nouns and the corresponding articles - many people do and have trouble. Not a lot of help - we know - but rest assured, many students seem to be losing their minds over it, just like you are! So here are some tips and tricks to help you have a more effective learning experience! Some general information about der, die and das.

No real system

Please do not try to come up with a system or a pattern for learning the articles. However, there are some things that make perfect sense: the boy (masculine, because the boy is masculine), the woman (feminine, because the woman is feminine), but the girl (neutral, because the girl is neutral? No...).

See. In conclusion, acceptance that there is no system is the first step to mastery of the task!

Use the rules that are there

Well, we've just told you that there is no system, and that's true. But there are some rules. Yes, there are. Rules. Let us get to know some of them - a different way of mastering the German articles!

A lot of German words that have a masculine and feminine version, such as actor and actress, use the logical (biological) article that goes with the word.

For example: the waiter, the waitress. Other words are the actor/actress, the cook/cook, the policeman/policewoman, the doctor/doctor and many more.

Words ending in -ung/ing/ ion/heit/keit/schaft ALWAYS use the feminine article "die". Always.

Words ending in -ment/nis/um/tum/lein/chen ALWAYS use the neutral article "the". Always.

Words ending in int/ent/ich/ling/ ist ALWAYS use the masculine article "der". Always.

Preparation is key

Finally, the best advice we can give you about German articles is this: When you start learning a new word, always learn the article with it from the beginning. Write it on your flashcards, put the article in your vocabulary book or app. Make sure the noun and article are connected! For the best possible support, book a tutor with us.

Your turn

What's your method for learning articles?

Share your tips and tricks in the comments section below!