German Noun Suffixes and Gender
Predicting German Noun Gender Introduction Learning the gender of German nouns can be a problem for English-speakers. After all, we aren't used to nouns having any gender at all. ("She's a good ship" is a rare exception.) But even when there is a rule to help determine the gender of a given noun category, there are almost always exceptions. German nouns ending in -ik are usually feminine: die Grammatik, Grafik, Klinik, Mathematik, Musik, Physik, Panik. Another German feminine noun suffix that is very reliable for predicting gender is the -in ending. An -er ending usually indicates a masculine noun. There are many other examples of gender predictors in German Gender Hints, but you can find a glossary with the full English and German for the noun categories mentioned here on the following pages. NEXT > German Noun Suffixes Glossary
German Gender Hints - Noun Gender - DAS
You are here: Gender Hints Intro > DER > DIE > DAS > Quiz 1 > Quiz 2 RULE NO. 1: When learning a German noun, always treat its article as an integral part of the word! Not Wasser, but das Wasser. Not Hund, but der Hund. These German gender hints are divided into two main categories: "Always" (no or few exceptions to the rule) and "Usually" (some exceptions). SÄCHLICH - das Always NEUTER (das/ein): Nouns ending in -chen or -lein: Fräulein, Häuschen, Kaninchen, Mädchen (unmarried woman, cottage, rabbit, girl/maiden)Infinitives used as nouns (gerunds): das Essen, das Schreiben (eating/food, writing)Almost all of the 112 known chemical elements (das Aluminium, Blei, Kupfer, Uran, Zink, Zinn, Zirkonium, usw.) - except for six that are masculine: der Kohlenstoff (carbon), der Sauerstoff (oxygen), der Stickstoff (nitrogen), der Wasserstoff (hydrogen), der Phosphor and der Schwefel (sulphur). Usually NEUTER (das/ein): German Noun Suffixes and Gender More gender clues for German!
German Grammar by Topic - Grammatik - German Lessons
Grammatik: A German Grammar Guide Grammar Lessons and References by Topic Learn German grammar! German Verb Conjugator Find the conjugation of common German verbs - in all tenses. Strong German Verbs - Ablaut Classes Learning the vowel patterns of strong German verbs makes it easier to conjugate them. Free Online German Course German for Beginners No book required. 20 lessons, many with sound! Particles Doch! Wennschon, dennschon - Schon mal! Word Order and Syntax German Word Order 1 A helpful guide to German syntax. German Word Order 2 A helpful guide to German syntax, Part 2. German Grammar Terms Explained German Grammar Glossary Grammar terms in English and German - with explanations in plain English. German Newsletters Our free German lesson newsletters.
Saying No in German - How to Say No in German
Even people who don't study German know that Nein means no in German. But of course that's only the beginning to German negation. The German adverb nicht and adjective kein can be used to negate a sentence as well. (We will discuss other ways of saying no in German in German Negation II.) Nicht is Used in a Sentence When: - The noun to be negated has a a definite article.Er liest das Buch. - The noun to be negated has a possessive pronoun.Er liebt seine Freundin. - The verb is to be negated.Ich will schlafen. - An adverb/adverbial phrase is to be negated.Sie rennt schnell. - An adjective is used with the verb sein.Das Kind ist geizig. Kein is Used in a Sentence When: - The noun to be negated has an indefinite article.Ich will einen Apfel essen. - the noun has no article.Ich habe Zeit dafür. The Position of Nicht The position of nicht is not always so clear-cut. Nicht and Sondern, Kein and Sondern
