German Grammar Drills

German Grammar Drills

Determining Gender

  • Gender of most German nouns can be determined by examining their markup
    • Gender doesn't necessarily have to do with the noun being male, female or inanimate

Identifying masculine nouns

  • Nouns that refer to males
    • der Vater, der Junge

  • Many nouns that end in er, en and el

    German English
    der Lehrer Teacher
    der Wagen car
    der Mantel coat
  • Days of the week, months and seasons

  • Foreign words with the accent on the syllable

    German English
    der Soldat Soldier
    der Elefant Elephant

  • Nouns formed from an infinitive minus the en ending

    German Infinitive English
    der Besuch besuchen visit
    der Lohn lohnen wages

  • Many nouns that form their plural by (umlaut) + e

    German Singular German Plural English
    der Brief die Briefe letter
    der Satz die Sätze sentence

  • Nouns that end in ich, ig, ismus, ist, ling and us

    German English
    der Teppich Carpet
    der Käfig Cage
    der Kommunismus Communism
    der Kapitalist Capitalist
    der Lehrling Apprentice
    der Rhythmus Rhythm

Identifying feminine nouns

  • Nouns that refer to femails
    • die Mutter, die Frau
  • Names of numerals
    • die Eins, die Hundert

  • Names of many rivers

    German English
    die Elbe the Elbe
    die Mosel the Moselle

  • Many nouns ending in e

    German English
    die Lampe lamp
    die Ernte harvest

  • Nouns ending in in that identify female in professions

    German English
    die Lehrerin Teacher
    die Ärztin physician

  • Many nouns ending in a

    German English
    die Kamera Camera
    die Pizza Pizza

  • Many nouns that form their plural by (e)n

    German Singular German Plural English
    die Tante die Tanten Aunt
    die Zeitschrift die Zeitschriften Magazine

  • Nouns that end in ei, heit, keit, ie, ik, nz, schaft, ion, tät, ung, and ur

    German English
    die Schweinerei mess
    die Einheit unity
    die Einsamkeit loneliness
    die Fotografie photography
    die Topik topic
    die Konferenz conference
    die Landschaft landscape
    die Position position
    die Universität university
    die Prüfung test
    die Natur nature

Identifying Neuter nouns

  • Diminutive nouns that end in chen or lein

    German English
    das Mädchen girl
    das Röslein little rose

  • Nouns formed from an infinitive

    German English
    das Einkommen income
    das Singen singing

  • Most nouns that end in nis

    German English
    das Bekenntnis confession
    das Gedächtnis memory

  • Many nouns with the prefix Ge

    German English
    das Gemälde painting
    das Gelächter laughter

  • Nouns that refer to metals

    German English
    das Gold gold
    das Silber silver

  • Nouns that end in ment

    German English
    das Regiment regiment
    das Experiment experiment

  • Most nouns that form their plural by (umlaut) + er

    German Plural English
    das Haus die Häuser house
    das Kind die Kinder child

  • Nouns that end in tel, tum and um

    German English
    das Viertel quarter
    das Königtum monarchy
    das Gymnasium prep school