German Nominative Case
Learn about the German Nominative Case, its role in sentence structure, and how to identify and use it correctly with examples and practical tips.
Using der, die, and das with plural nouns
A noun’s plural form is a little easier. No matter if the noun is masculine, feminine or neuter, in the plural form we always use die (the).
Let’s look at a few examples:
- der Mann (singular) – die Männer (plural)
- die Frau (singular) – die Frauen (plural)
- das Kind (singular) – die Kinder (plural)
When to use der, die, and das in German
Although choosing the correct definite article in German may seem tricky at first, the German language has certain rules that can help you know (or guess) which one to use.
1. Check the noun’s meaning
If the noun is animate, its grammatical gender tends to be the same as its actual gender: Male persons are usually masculine, female persons are usually feminine, and young persons and baby animals are often neuter.
Here are some examples:
- der Bruder/die Schwester (brother/sister)
- der Opa/die Oma (grandad/grandma)
- das Kind/das Baby (child/baby)
- der Kater/die Katze (male cat/female cat)
- das Lamm (lamb)
2. Learn noun categories
One can allocate German nouns to specific gender categories. For instance, seasons, directions on the compass, months, and days of the week are all masculine.
Most weather words and alcoholic beverages also tend to be masculine, with the exception of das Bier (beer), which is neuter in German. Cars are masculine when you use their brand name.
- der Mai (May)
- der Sommer (the summer)
- der Montag (Monday)
- der Norden (the north)
- der Sturm (the storm)
- der Whisky (the whisky)
- der Audi (the Audi)
Feminine categories include tree and flower species and many fruits, as well as the brand names or proper names of motorbikes, ships, and airplanes.
- die Rose (the rose)
- die Zitrone (the lemon)
- die Tanne (the fir)
- die Kawasaki (the Kawasaki motorbike)
- die Titanic (the Titanic)
For Free, Demo classes Call: 02071171747
Registration Link: German Language Classes in Pune!
Nouns are neuter when they refer to the names of restaurants, cafes, hotels, and movie theaters.
- das Ritz (hotel)
- das P1 (club)
- das Alex (cafe)
Also, it is good to know that if a verb is used as a noun, that noun is neuter: leben/das Leben (to live/ life).
Do watch our latest video on German Language Course in Pune
Author:
Siddhi Ghale
© Copyright 2021 | SevenMentor Pvt Ltd.
Call the Trainer and Book your free demo Class For German Language
Call now!!!