German has three grammatical genders, and nobody memorises them word by word forever. Word endings and word groups predict the article surprisingly often. Here are the rules that actually work, with their main exceptions, plus a free printable cheat sheet for your desk or classroom.
Download the free der/die/das cheat sheet (PDF) ↓
Rule zero: always learn the noun with its article
Never write Tisch = table in your vocabulary list. Write der Tisch. Many learners also colour-code: blue for der, red for die, green for das. Your memory stores the article and the colour together with the word.
Endings that are almost always die (feminine)
| Ending | Examples | Notable exceptions |
|---|---|---|
| -ung | die Zeitung, die Wohnung, die Rechnung | practically none |
| -heit / -keit | die Freiheit, die Gesundheit, die Möglichkeit | practically none |
| -schaft | die Freundschaft, die Mannschaft | practically none |
| -ion | die Information, die Nation, die Region | der Spion, das Stadion |
| -tät | die Universität, die Qualität | practically none |
| -ie | die Familie, die Biologie, die Energie | das Genie, der Junkie |
| -ik | die Musik, die Politik, die Grammatik | das Mosaik, der Atlantik |
| -ei | die Bäckerei, die Polizei | das Ei, der Papagei |
| -enz / -anz | die Konferenz, die Distanz | der Kranz |
| -ur | die Natur, die Kultur, die Reparatur | das Abitur, der Purpur |
| -e (most nouns) | die Lampe, die Straße, die Tasche | der Name, der Junge, der Käse, das Auge, das Ende |
Endings and groups that are usually das (neuter)
| Ending / group | Examples | Notable exceptions |
|---|---|---|
| -chen / -lein (diminutives) | das Mädchen, das Brötchen, das Fräulein | none: this rule is 100% reliable |
| -ment | das Dokument, das Instrument | der Zement, der Moment (in the sense “instant”) |
| -um | das Museum, das Zentrum, das Datum | der Konsum, der Irrtum |
| -ma | das Thema, das Klima, das Schema | die Firma, die Oma |
| -nis | das Ergebnis, das Zeugnis | die Erlaubnis, die Kenntnis |
| Verbs used as nouns | das Essen, das Lernen, das Schwimmen | none |
| Colours as nouns | das Blau, das Rot | none |
| Most metals and chemical elements | das Gold, das Silber, das Eisen | der Stahl, der Schwefel |
Endings and groups that are usually der (masculine)
| Ending / group | Examples | Notable exceptions |
|---|---|---|
| -ling | der Frühling, der Lehrling | practically none |
| -ismus | der Tourismus, der Optimismus | none |
| -ist / -ent / -ant (people) | der Polizist, der Student, der Praktikant | das Talent, das Restaurant |
| -or | der Motor, der Doktor, der Monitor | das Labor, das Tor |
| -ig / -ich | der Honig, der König, der Teppich | das Reisig |
| Days, months, seasons | der Montag, der Mai, der Winter | das Frühjahr |
| Weather and compass points | der Regen, der Schnee, der Norden | das Gewitter, das Eis |
| Most alcoholic drinks | der Wein, der Wodka, der Sekt | das Bier |
| Car brands | der BMW, der Opel | (motorbikes are die: die BMW) |
Two rules that save you hundreds of words
1. Compound nouns take the gender of the last word
das Haus + die Tür → die Haustür. die Kinder + der Garten → der Kindergarten. Learn the base words and long compounds become easy.
2. Every plural is die
der Tisch → die Tische, das Kind → die Kinder, die Frau → die Frauen. In the nominative and accusative plural, the article is always die.
Practice: test yourself
Cover the answers and choose the article. Then check.
- ___ Hoffnung → die (-ung)
- ___ Häuschen → das (-chen)
- ___ Optimismus → der (-ismus)
- ___ Gesundheit → die (-heit)
- ___ Dokument → das (-ment)
- ___ Dezember → der (month)
- ___ Lesen → das (verb as noun)
- ___ Hausaufgabe → die (last word: die Aufgabe)
Want more? Try the A1 and A2 grammar questions in our exam simulator, or browse the German vocabulary section.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a rule for every German noun?
No. The rules above cover a large share of everyday nouns, but many common words, such as der Tisch, die Hand and das Buch, simply have to be learned.
Does grammatical gender match real-world gender?
Often for people (der Mann, die Frau), but not always: das Mädchen is neuter because of the -chen ending.
What happens to the article in other cases?
The article changes with the case: der → den (accusative) → dem (dative) → des (genitive). Learning the nominative article first is the foundation for all of these forms.
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