German Nouns Explained

A noun is a word that names something. It can be a person (like "child"), a place (like "school"), a thing (like "table"), or an idea (like "peace"). In German, nouns do the same job, but they have some special rules. Don’t worry—I’ll make them easy to understand!

5 Important Things About German Nouns

1. Nouns Have Genders

In English, nouns don’t have genders (except for words like "man" or "woman"). In German, every noun is either masculine, feminine, or neuter. This changes the little words (called articles) you use with them.

Examples:

  • Masculine: der Tisch (the table)
  • Feminine: die Lampe (the lamp)
  • Neuter: das Fenster (the window)

2. Nouns Start with a Capital Letter

In German, every noun begins with a big letter, even in the middle of a sentence. This is different from English, where only names get capitals.

Examples:

  • Ich sehe den Tisch. (I see the table.) – "Tisch" is capitalized.
  • Die Lampe leuchtet. (The lamp is shining.) – "Lampe" gets a big "L"!

3. Articles Match the Gender

Articles are words like "the" or "a" that go before nouns. In German, they change depending on the noun’s gender.

"The" Articles:

  • Masculine: der – der Tisch (the table)
  • Feminine: die – die Lampe (the lamp)
  • Neuter: das – das Fenster (the window)
  • Plural (all genders): die – die Tische (the tables)

"A" Articles:

  • Masculine: ein – ein Tisch (a table)
  • Feminine: eine – eine Lampe (a lamp)
  • Neuter: ein – ein Fenster (a window)

4. Plurals Have Different Endings

In English, we often add "-s" to make plurals (like "tables"). German has many ways to show more than one, and you’ll need to learn them with each noun.

Examples:

  • Add -e: der Tisch → die Tische (tables)
  • Add -er: das Kind → die Kinder (children)
  • Add -en: die Frau → die Frauen (women)
  • Add -s: das Auto → die Autos (cars)
  • No change: der Lehrer → die Lehrer (teachers)
  • Vowel change: der Mann → die Männer (men)

5. Cases Show What Nouns Do

German has four cases. They tell you what job the noun has in a sentence. The articles change with each case, and sometimes the noun does too.

The Four Cases:

  • Nominative: The subject (who does something). Der Hund läuft. (The dog runs.)
  • Accusative: The object (what is seen or taken). Ich sehe den Hund. (I see the dog.)
  • Dative: The receiver (to whom something is given). Ich gebe dem Hund einen Ball. (I give the dog a ball.)
  • Genitive: Shows ownership (like "of"). Das Spielzeug des Hundes. (The toy of the dog.)

For now, practice nominative and accusative—they’re the easiest to start with!

How-To Questions

How Do I Know a Noun’s Gender?

You can’t always guess, so learn each noun with its article: der Tisch, die Lampe, das Fenster. Here are some hints:

  • Feminine: Words ending in -ung (die Zeitung = newspaper), -heit (die Freiheit = freedom).
  • Neuter: Words ending in -chen (das Mädchen = girl), -lein (das Häuschen = little house).
  • Masculine: Words ending in -er (der Lehrer = teacher).
  • Example: Die Schule (the school) – Many places are feminine!

How Do I Make Plurals?

Learn the plural with the noun. Here are more examples:

  • Der Stuhl → die Stühle (chairs)
  • Das Buch → die Bücher (books)
  • Die Blume → die Blumen (flowers)
  • Das Haus → die Häuser (houses)

Tip: Use a notebook to write nouns and their plurals.

What Are Cases For?

Cases show a noun’s role. Look how articles change:

  • Masculine: der Tisch (nom.) → den Tisch (acc.) → dem Tisch (dat.)
  • Feminine: die Lampe (nom./acc.) → der Lampe (dat.)
  • Neuter: das Fenster (nom./acc.) → dem Fenster (dat.)

Examples:

  • Ich sehe den Tisch. (I see the table.)
  • Ich gebe dem Kind ein Buch. (I give the child a book.)

Do Nouns Change in Cases?

Usually, only the article changes. But:

Genitive: Add -s or -es to masculine/neuter nouns:

  • Der Hund → des Hundes (the dog’s)
  • Das Haus → des Hauses (the house’s)

Dative Plural: Add -n if the plural doesn’t end in -n or -s:

  • Die Tische → den Tischen (to the tables)
  • Die Autos → den Autos (to the cars, no extra -n)

Example: Ich helfe den Kindern. (I help the children.)

Are There Strange Nouns?

Yes, a few! Der Herr (gentleman) becomes den Herrn in accusative. These are rare, so don’t worry yet.

How Do I Use Articles?

Match them to the noun’s gender and case:

  • Der Vogel fliegt. (The bird flies.) → Ein Vogel fliegt. (A bird flies.)
  • Die Blume wächst. (The flower grows.) → Eine Blume wächst. (A flower grows.)

Can I Skip Articles?

Yes, sometimes:

  • Jobs: Ich bin Lehrer. (I am a teacher.)
  • General ideas: Hunde sind nett. (Dogs are nice.)

What Are Compound Nouns?

German puts words together to make new ones:

  • Haus (house) + Tür (door) = Haustür (front door)
  • Sonne (sun) + Blume (flower) = Sonnenblume (sunflower)

The gender comes from the last word: Die Sonnenblume (feminine from Blume).

How Do I Remember Genders?

Say the noun with its article: der Tisch, die Tische. Use pictures: Draw a table with "der" next to it. Practice daily with a few nouns.

What If I Use the Wrong Gender?

It’s okay! If you say das Tisch instead of der Tisch, people will still understand. Keep practicing!

Try These Examples

  • Der Hund spielt mit dem Ball. (The dog plays with the ball.)
  • Eine Katze sieht die Vögel. (A cat sees the birds.)
  • Das Kind malt ein Haus. (The child draws a house.)
  • Ich gebe den Blumen Wasser. (I give the flowers water.)

How to Get Better

Learn 5 nouns a day with their articles and plurals (der Tisch, die Tische). Make simple sentences: Ich sehe den Hund. (I see the dog.) Try combining words: Apfelbaum (apple tree).

See Also

German Writing German Speaking German Culture Listening & Pronunciation Exam Preparation
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