Intermediate German: A Grammar and Workbook

Masculine Feminine Neuter

Most currencies: Diminutives:

der Euro,der Dollar das Händchen

(‘little hand’)

das Tischlein

(‘little table’)

Exceptions include: Exceptions include: Exceptions include:

das Bier,das Wasser; das Mädchenand the der Irak,die Schweiz,

das Britische Pfund following rivers: der Main, die Türkei,die Ukraine,

(Sterling) der Rhein,der Neckar die Niederlande (plural),

die USA(plural)

Compound nouns

The last noun defines the gender

Compound nouns usually consist of two or more nouns. The gender is

defined by the last noun:

der Computer+das Spiel→das Computerspiel

computer game

der Bauch +der Tanz +die Lehrerin →die Bauchtanzlehrerin

teacher of belly dancing

Adding-s

When joining noun+nountogether an extra -sis often inserted to link

the components and to make the pronunciation easier. This usually

happens when the first noun ends in -heit,-ing,-ion,-keit,-ling,-schaft,

-tätor-ung:

der Liebling +die Band → die Lieblingsband

favourite band

die Mehrheit +der Beschluss → der Mehrheitsbeschluss

majority decision

4 Unit 1: Nouns and gender

111

2 3 4 5 6 7

8111

9

1011

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

2011

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

3011

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

4011

1

2

3

41111