Table of Contents
Understanding German Definite Articles
German has three grammatical genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. Each gender uses its own definite article in the singular. These small words are very important in German, because they are always learned together with the noun.
The Three Singular Definite Articles
In English you use only one definite article: “the.”
In German you use three different singular forms that must match the gender of the noun.
| Gender | German article | Example (German) | Meaning (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| masculine | der | der Tisch | the table |
| feminine | die | die Lampe | the lamp |
| neuter | das | das Buch | the book |
Always learn a noun together with its article as one unit, for example: der Tisch, die Lampe, das Buch.
You cannot usually see from the English word which article the German noun needs. You must memorize the gender of each noun.
Capitalization and Basic Form
All German nouns are written with a capital letter, but the article is written in lower case.
Correct examples:
“der Tisch,” “die Lampe,” “das Buch”
In German, all nouns are capitalized. Articles are not capitalized unless they begin a sentence.
The form you learn first is the basic form: singular, with the definite article, for example “der Tisch.”
Typical Examples for Each Gender
There are some common nouns that are useful to know early. They help you get used to the three articles.
Masculine: der
“der Mann” (the man), “der Stuhl” (the chair), “der Computer” (the computer), “der Lehrer” (the teacher)
Feminine: die
“die Frau” (the woman), “die Tasche” (the bag), “die Tür” (the door), “die Lampe” (the lamp)
Neuter: das
“das Kind” (the child), “das Auto” (the car), “das Haus” (the house), “das Fenster” (the window)
You will notice that the article is always placed directly in front of the noun.
Articles and Natural Gender
Sometimes the grammatical gender matches natural gender, especially with people.
| Person word | Article | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| der Mann | der | the man |
| die Frau | die | the woman |
| das Kind | das | the child |
This can help in some cases, but not always. Most objects have a grammatical gender that does not follow a clear logic for beginners. You must accept and remember it, for example “der Tisch” (the table) is masculine, “die Wand” (the wall) is feminine, and “das Sofa” (the sofa) is neuter.
Articles with Names of Objects
When you talk about objects in German, you usually use the article in front of the noun, especially when introducing or identifying something.
Examples:
“Das ist der Tisch.” – This is the table.
“Das ist die Lampe.” – This is the lamp.
“Das ist das Buch.” – This is the book.
Notice that “das” can be both a demonstrative word (“this/that is”) and the neuter article. Here you see both functions in one sentence: first as “this,” then as the article of a neuter noun.
Memorizing Articles Effectively
Because the article is so important, it is helpful to learn each noun in a small phrase instead of alone. You can connect the word and the article in your memory more strongly.
Good ways to learn:
“der Tisch” instead of only “Tisch”
“die Lampe” instead of only “Lampe”
“das Buch” instead of only “Buch”
Do not learn nouns without their article. Always memorize: article + noun together.
You can also create simple sentences when studying. For example:
“Das ist der Tisch.”
“Das ist die Lampe.”
“Das ist das Buch.”
This helps you see and hear the correct article many times.
Articles in Short Phrases
You will often see the article together with very basic words like “hier” (here) or “da” (there).
Examples:
“Hier ist der Schlüssel.” – Here is the key.
“Da ist die Uhr.” – There is the clock.
“Hier ist das Handy.” – Here is the mobile phone.
The article always comes directly before the noun and changes, while the rest of the phrase often stays the same.
Overview Table of Common Nouns and Articles
Here is a table with useful beginner nouns and their definite articles. Use it to practice.
| Article | Noun (German) | Meaning (English) |
|---|---|---|
| der | der Tisch | the table |
| der | der Stuhl | the chair |
| der | der Computer | the computer |
| der | der Lehrer | the (male) teacher |
| der | der Schlüssel | the key |
| die | die Lampe | the lamp |
| die | die Tür | the door |
| die | die Tasche | the bag |
| die | die Uhr | the clock / watch |
| die | die Frau | the woman |
| das | das Buch | the book |
| das | das Auto | the car |
| das | das Haus | the house |
| das | das Kind | the child |
| das | das Handy | the mobile phone |
Look at the table regularly and say the words aloud with the articles. That will train your ear for the three different sounds “der”, “die”, and “das”.
New Vocabulary in This Chapter
German – English
der Tisch – the table
der Stuhl – the chair
der Computer – the computer
der Lehrer – the (male) teacher
der Schlüssel – the key
die Lampe – the lamp
die Tür – the door
die Tasche – the bag
die Uhr – the clock, the watch
die Frau – the woman
das Buch – the book
das Auto – the car
das Haus – the house
das Kind – the child
das Handy – the mobile phone
der Mann – the man
das Fenster – the window