German nouns have one of three genders: masculine, feminine, or neuter. Gender agreement means that the words around a noun—like articles, adjectives, and pronouns—must match the noun’s gender. This helps the sentence make sense.
Articles
German has definite (the) and indefinite (a/an) articles. Both change form to agree with the noun’s gender.
Definite Articles (The)
| Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| der Mann | die Frau | das Kind | the man / the woman / the child |
Indefinite Articles (A/An)
| Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ein Mann | eine Frau | ein Kind | a man / a woman / a child |
Adjectives
Adjectives also change endings to match the noun’s gender, as well as number (singular/plural) and case (subject, object, etc.).
Adjective Endings with Definite Articles (Nominative Case)
| Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| der kleine Mann | die kleine Frau | das kleine Kind | the small man / woman / child |
Which adjective ending correctly completes this sentence? »Der ___ Mann ist klug.« (The smart man is clever.)
kluge
After the definite article der (masculine nominative), the adjective ends in -e.
Pronouns
Pronouns must match the gender of the noun they replace.
| Noun Gender | German Pronoun | English Pronoun | Example (German) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine | er | he | Der Mann ist groß. Er ist groß. | The man is tall. He is tall. |
| Feminine | sie | she | Die Frau ist nett. Sie ist nett. | The woman is nice. She is nice. |
| Neuter | es | it | Das Kind schläft. Es schläft. | The child is sleeping. It is sleeping. |
Summary
- German nouns are masculine, feminine, or neuter.
- Articles (der, die, das, ein, eine) must match noun gender.
- Adjectives change endings based on gender (and case/number).
- Pronouns (er, sie, es) must agree with noun gender.
Gender agreement is key to correct German grammar and helps sentences make sense.
Which of the following is NOT a German noun gender?
Common
German nouns have three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. There is no 'common' gender in German grammar.
Flashcards (1 of 6)
- Masculine: der Mann
- Feminine: die Frau
- Neuter: das Kind
- English Example: the man / the woman / the child
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
