German Gender Hints
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
-
Days, months, and seasons:
Montag, Juli, Sommer (Monday, July, summer) -
always masculine (der/ein)
except: das Frühjahr (another word for spring) -
Nouns ending in the following suffixes: -heit, -keit, -tät, -ung, -schaft
Examples: Freiheit, Schnelligkeit, Universität, Zeitung, Freundschaft - always feminine (die/eine)
- Nouns ending in -er, when referring to people
-
usually masculine (der/ein)
except: die Jungfer, die Mutter, die Schwester, die Tochter, das Fenster -
Points of the compass, map locations and winds:
Nordwest(en) (northwest), Süd(en) (south), der Föhn (warm wind out of the Alps), der Scirocco (sirocco, a hot desert wind) - always masculine (der/ein)
- Nouns ending in -chen or -lein: Fräulein, Häuschen, Kaninchen, Mädchen
- always neuter (das/ein)
- Precipitation: Regen, Schnee, Nebel (rain, snow, fog/mist
- always masculine (der/ein)
- Geographic place names (towns, countries, continents): Berlin, Deutschland, Brasilien, Afrika
-
usually neuter (das/ein)
except e.g.:der Irak, der Jemen, die Schweiz, die Türkei, die USA [plur.] - Most nouns ending in -e: Ecke, Ente, Grenze, Pistole, Seuche
-
usually feminine (die/eine)
except:der Deutsche, das Ensemble, der Friede, der Junge ([the] German, ensemble, peace, boy) - Nouns ending in -ie: Drogerie, Geographie, Komödie, Industrie, Ironie
- always feminine (die/eine)
- Agents (people who do something), most occupations and nationalities
- usually masculine (der/ein)
- Names of aircraft, ships and motorbikes
- always feminine (die/eine)
- Infinitives used as nouns (gerunds)
- always neuter (das/ein)
- Names of cars and trains
- always masculine (der/ein)
- Young animals and people: Baby, Küken
-
usually neuter (das/ein)
except: der Junge -
Nouns ending in -in that pertain to female people, occupations, nationalities:
Amerikanerin, Studentin - usually feminine (die/eine)
- Almost all of the 112 known chemical elements
-
always neuter (das/ein)
5 excepts: der Kohlenstoff (carbon), der Sauerstoff (oxygen), der Stickstoff (nitrogen), der Wasserstoff (hydrogen), der Schwefel (sulphur) -
Words ending in -ismus:
Journalismus, Kommunismus, Synchronismus (equal -ism words in English) - always masculine (der/ein)
- Most metals: Aluminium, Blei, Kupfer, Messing, Zinn
- usually neuter (das/ein)
-
Nouns ending in -ik:
Grammatik, Grafik, Klinik, Musik, Panik, Physik - always feminine (der/ein)
- Names of alcoholic drinks: der Wein, der Wodka
-
usually masculine (der/ein)
except: das Bier -
Nouns ending in -o (often cognates from Latin):
Auto, Büro, Kasino, Konto (account), Radio, Veto, Video -
usually neuter (das/ein)
excepts: die Avocado, die Disko, der Euro, der Scirocco -
Borrowed (foreign) nouns ending in: -ade, -age, -anz, -enz, -ette, -ine, -ion, -tur:
Parade, Blamage (shame), Bilanz, Distanz, Frequenz, Serviette (napkin), Limonade, Nation, Konjunktur (economic trend) -
always feminine (der/ein)
rare expect: der Nomade - Words ending in -ner: Rentner, Schaffner, Zentner, Zöllner
- always masculine (der/ein)
- Fractions: Viertel (¼), Drittel
- usually neuter (das/ein)
- Nouns ending in -ei: Partei, Schweinerei
-
usually feminine (der/ein)
except: das Ei, der Papagei - Names of hotels, cafés and theaters
- always neuter (das/ein)
- Names of mountains and lakes: der Berg, der See
- usually masculine (der/ein)
- The basic "atmospheric" elements that end in -stoff: Sauerstoff (oxygen), Stickstoff (nitrogen), Wasserstoff (hydrogen), carbon (der Kohlenstoff), Schwefel (sulphur)
- always masculine (der/ein)
- Most types of flowers and trees: Birke, Chrysantheme, Eiche, Rose
-
usually feminine (der/ein)
except: der Ahorn, (maple), das Gänseblümchen (daisy), der Baum (tree) - Names of colors used as nouns: Blau, Rot
- always neuter (das/ein)
- Borrowed (foreign) nouns ending in -isse, -itis, -ive: Hornisse, Initiative (hornet, initiative)
- usually feminine (der/eine)
- Most nouns ending in -ich, -ling, -ist: Rettich, Sittich, Schädling, Frühling, Pazifist
- usually masculine (der/ein)
- Most nouns ending in -tum or -um: Christentum, Königtum
-
usually neuter (das/ein)
except: der Irrtum, der Reichtum - Names of colors used as nouns: das Blau, das Rot (blue, red)
- always neuter (das/ein)
- Cardinal numbers: eine Eins, eine Drei (a one, a three)
- usually feminine (der/eine)
- Most nouns starting with Ge-: Genick, Gerät, Geschirr, Geschlecht, Gesetz, Gespräch
-
usually neuter (das/ein)
some excepts: der Gebrauch, der Gedanke, die Gefahr, der Gefallen, der Genuss - Most borrowed (foreign) nouns ending in -ment: Ressentiment, Supplement
-
usually neuter (das/ein)
except: der Zement - Most rivers outside of Europe: Amazonas, Kongo, Mississippi
- usually masculine (der/ein)
- Most nouns ending in -nis: Versäumnis
-
usually neuter (das/ein)
except: die Erlaubnis, die Erkenntnis, die Finsternis