The gender of German nouns is often related to the word ending

Grammatical gender is one of the difficult aspects of learning the German language, which has not just two —but three different genders.

In German, for instance, “der Löffel” (spoon) is masculine, “die Gabel” (fork) is feminine, and “das Messer” (knife) is neuter.

At first sight, German grammatical gender seems completely random.

However, there are some heuristic rules, or patterns which can help predict the grammatical gender of German nouns based on their endings.

Basically, by looking at the ending of a German word, it is possible to determine if the word is more likely to be masculine, feminine, or neuter.

The feminine grammatical gender

The following word endings are in most cases found in nouns that have the feminine gender:

• -ie
• -ei
• -in
• -heit
• -schaft
• -ung
• -keit
• -ik
• -tät
• -tur
• -tion

In German, nouns that end in “-ie” are often feminine, and many of them are derived from Ancient Greek words ending in “logos” (which means “science”).

German	English
die Philosophie	philosophy
die Biologie	biology
die Psychologie	psychology
die Ideologie	ideology
die Ökologie	ecology
die Astronomie	astronomy
die Theorie	theory
die Utopie	utopia

Exceptions include “das Knie” (knee) which does not derive from Ancient Greek.

In German, nouns that are created by combining an adjective with the suffix “-heit” typically take the feminine gender. These nouns usually represent abstract concepts rather than concrete objects. Below are a few examples:

Noun	Adjective	English
die Freiheit	frei	freedom
die Schönheit	schön	beauty
die Sicherheit	sicher	security
die Wahrheit	wahr	truth
die Klugheit	klug	wisdom
die Reinheit	rein	purity
die Fähigkeit	fähig	ability
die Gleichheit	gleich	equality
die Ehrlichkeit	ehrlich	honesty
die Einsamkeit	einsam	loneliness

Although most German nouns ending in “-scheit” follow the pattern of forming an abstract noun by adding the suffix “-heit” to an adjective, there is an exception with “das Holzscheit” (log of wood). This word has a different etymology, as it is a compound noun formed by combining “das Holz” (wood) with the noun “das Scheit” (log). Additionally, it refers to a concrete object, rather than an abstract concept.

The German suffix “-keit” is an alternative form of the German suffix “-heit”. It, too, turns adjectives into nouns referring to abstract concepts.

As a general rule, most German nouns formed with the suffix “-keit” have the feminine gender. Here are some examples:

Noun	Adjective	English
die Möglichkeit	möglich	possibility
die Freundlichkeit	freundlich	friendliness
die Gemütlichkeit	gemütlich	cosiness
die Wirklichkeit	wirklich	reality
die Ewigkeit	ewig	eternity

The German suffix “-schaft” resembles the English suffixes “-ship” and “-hood”. For example, “die Eltern” (parents) with the suffix “‎-schaft” produces “die ‎Elternschaft” (parenthood)

German nouns which are produced using the suffix “-schaft” typically have the feminine gender. Here are some examples:

German	English
die Gemeinschaft	community
die Wirtschaft	economy
die Botschaft	message
die Gesellschaft	society
die Freundschaft	friendship
die Mannschaft	team

Notice that “der Federschaft” is masculine. However, produced using the suffix “-schaft”, instead it is a compound of the nouns “die Feder” and “der Schaft”.

The German suffix “-ung” forms nouns from verbs. German nouns formed through this pattern generally have the feminine grammatical gender.

Noun	Verb	English
die Wohnung	wohnen	apartment
die Lösung	lösen	solution
die Aufklärung	aufklären	clarification
die Verbindung	verbinden	connection
die Forschung	forschen	research

This pattern does not apply to German nouns ending in “-ung” when they are not formed as a verb plus the suffix “-ung”. For example:

• “der Ursprung” (origin): this German word is not formed from a German verb combined with the “-ung” suffix. Its etymology is “ur-” plus ‎“(der) Sprung” (jump, leap).
• “der Umschwung” (reversal, turnaround) is also not formed by adding the suffix “-ung” to a German verb. Its etymology is “um-” plus‎ “(der) Schwung” (momentum).

Most German nouns ending in “-ik” have the feminine grammatical gender. Here are some examples:

German	English
die Kritik	criticism
die Physik	physics
die Republik	republic
die Musik	music
die Politik	politics

Two exceptions to this pattern are “der Atlantik” (the Atlantic) and “der Pazifik” (Pacific). A possible explanation is that in German “der Ozean” (the ocean) is masculine. These exceptions are short forms of “der Atlantische Ozean” and “der Pazifische Ozean” respectively.

German nouns ending in “-tät” are generally borrowed either from Latin or from French. In both cases, the original word is generally a Latin noun ending in “-tās”.

Latin nouns ending in “-tās” typically have the feminine gender and so do German nouns ending in “-tät”.

German	Latin	English
die Qualität	quālitās	quality
die Realität	reālitās	reality
die Universität	ūniversitās	university
die Kapazität	capācitās	capacity
die Autorität	auctōritās	authority

Although German is not a Latin-based language, there are still a number of Latin-derived German vocabulary words.

Most German nouns ending in “-tur” are feminine. Often, they are borrowings from Latin words ending in “-tūra” which typically are also feminine.

German	Latin	English
die Literatur	litterātūra	literature
die Kultur	cultūra	culture
die Natur	nātūra	nature
die Struktur	structūra	structure
die Architektur	architectūra	architecture
die Figur	figūra	figure

One notable exception to this pattern is “das Abitur” (end of high school exam). The explanation is that “Abitur” is a shortening of “Abiturium”, and hence the neuter gender.

In most cases, German nouns ending in “-tion” are derived from Latin nouns ending in “-tiō” and they are feminine.

German Noun	Latin	English
die Evolution	ēvolūtiō	evolution
die Information	īnfōrmātiō	information
die Reaktion	reactiō	reaction
die Produktion	productiō	production
die Funktion	fūnctiō	function

German nouns which end in “-ei” are feminine when they specify an occupation.

• “die Malerei” (profession of painting) is “Maler” (painter) plus the ending “-ei”
• “die Bäckerei” (profession of bakery) is “Bäcker” (baker) plus “-ei”

German nouns ending with “-in” which refer to professions or occupations are generally feminine.

Feminine	Masculine	English
die Lehrerin	der Lehrer	teacher
die Autorin	der Autor	author
die Künstlerin	der Künstler	artist
die Studentin	der Student	student
die Forscherin	der Forscher	researcher

The masculine grammatical gender

The following word endings are frequently found in German nouns which have the masculine gender:

• -er, -ner, -ant
• -ich, -eich
• -ling
• -ismus
• -or

Common nouns, which can take on both genders, are marked masculine by the endings “-er”, “-ner” or “ant.” (The feminine ending “-in” functions as its counterpart—see above.)

The first group (“-er”) includes:

• “der Wärter” (guard) is masculine in contrast with the feminine “die Wärterin” (guard)
• “der Friseur” (barber) in contrast with “die Friseurin” (hairdresser)
• “der Besitzer” (owner) in contrast with “die Besitzerin” (owner)

To the second group (“-ner”) belong:

• “der Gauner” (swindler) is masculine in contrast with the feminine “die Gaunerin” (swindler)
• “der Gegner” (adversary) in contrast with “die Gegnerin” (adversary)

And to the third group (“-ant”):

• “der Musikant” (musician) is masculine in contrast with the feminine “die Musikantin” (musician)
• “der Praktikant” (trainee) in contrast with “die Praktikantin” (trainee)

Examples for “-eich” include:

• “der Teich” (pond)
• “der Bereich” (domain)
• “der Vergleich” (comparison)

But “das Reich” (empire) constitutes a notable exception.

Masculine nouns ending in “-ich” include “der Teppich” (carpet) or “der Strich” (stroke).

The suffix “-ling” is rather ancient and the words it definitively marks as masculine most of the times may not be those most frequently employed,

For instance,

• “der Fremdling” (stranger)
• “der Häuptling” (chieftain)
• “der Lehrling” (apprentice)

In German all -isms are masculine and end in “-ismus”.

German	English
der Idealismus	idealism
der Realismus	realism
der Exotismus	exotism
der Anglizismus	anglicism
der Optimismus	optimism
der Individualismus	individualism

Nouns with the ending “-or” are very often derived from Latin and generally have the masculine gender.

For example:

• “der Terror” (terror) derives from Latin “terror”
• “der Doktor” (doctor) from “doctus” (learned)
• “der Professor” (professor) from “prŏfessus” (~ one acknowledged)

Notable exceptions include the neuter noun “das Tor” (gate) which, however, is not derived from Latin.

But “das Labor” (laboratory) is, but it is still neuter and not masculine

The neuter grammatical gender

The following word endings are frequently associated with German nouns having the neuter gender::

• -chen, -lein
• -nis
• -tum, -um
• -en
• -ma, -o
• -ment

In German, the suffixes “-chen” and -lein” are used to create the diminutive form of a noun. Nouns created this way normally have the neuter gender.

For example: “der Brot” (bread) plus the diminutive suffix‎ “-chen” produces “das Brötchen” (bun, or bread roll).

German	English
das Mädchen	girl
das Fräulein	Miss
das Hündchen	puppy
das Brötchen	bread roll
das Engelein	little angel
das Tischchen	small table
das Fläschchen	little bottle
das Büchlein	booklet

The German suffix “-nis” is frequently used to produce nouns from verbs. And the nouns formed this way often have the neuter grammatical gender.

For example:

• “das Ereignis” (event) derives from the verb “ereignen” (to happen) modified by “-nis”
• “das Gedächtnis” (memory) from “gedenken” (to commemorate) plus “-nis”
• “das Verzeichnis” (list) from “verzeichnen” (to note) plus “-nis”

There are many exceptions, however, which include “die Erkenntnis” (insight) or “die Erlaubnis” (permission), derived from the verbs “erkennen” (recognize) and “erlauben” (permit). They are feminine.

“-um” is the suffix for the neuter gender in the Latin language. Latin words adopted in the German language, which thereby are also neuter, include:

German	Latin	English
das Faktum	factum	fact
das Datum	datum	date
das Universum	ūniversum	universe
das Museum	mūsēum	museum
das Zentrum	centrum	center

In most cases, these nouns represent abstract entities. Contrast the following exceptions: “der Raum” (room) or “der Traum” (dream); neither has Latin roots and “Raum” is very concrete.

The German suffix “-tum” can be used to turn adjectives into abstract nouns which are neuter.

• “das Heiligtum” (sanctuary) is derived from the adjective “heilig” (holy) plus the suffix “-tum”
• “das Eigentum” (property) is derived from “eigen” (own) and “-tum”

Notice the exception: “der Reichtum” (wealth)

“-tum” may also transform nouns into something more abstract:

• “Fürstentum” (the noble estate) derives from the plural “Fürsten” (nobles) plus “-tum”
• “Christentum” (Christianity) from “Christen” (Christians) and “-tum”

Another example is “das Schrifttum” (literature).

If a verb is transformed into a noun (activity), then it is always neuter. Any verb in the infinitive, which ends on “-en”, can be nominalized by applying the definite article “das”.

For example:

• “das Gehen” (the activity of going) is the capitalized infinitive “gehen” (to go) together with “das” applied.
• “das Schlafen” (the activity of sleeping) is “schlafen” (to sleep) with “das”
• “das Schweigen” (the activity of saying nothing) is “schweigen” (to be silent) with “das”

German nouns ending in “-o” or “-ma” are often neuter, and many of these derive from Ancient Greek words.

Concerning “-o” see:

• “das Kino” (cinema) has to do with Greek “kinein” (to move)
• “das Auto” with “autos” (reflexive pronoun).
• “das Radio”
• “das Echo”

Notice “das Büro” (office), which derives from the French ‘bureau’.

For “-ma” consider

• “das Panorama” from Greek “pan” (all) and “horama” (view)
• “das Charisma” from Greek “charizesthai” (to favor)

However, note the important exception of “die Firma” (enterprise).

In most cases, German nouns which end in “-ment” are derived from Latin nouns ending in “-mentum”. These German nouns usually have the neuter gender just like the corresponding Latin nouns.

German	Latin	English
das Instrument	īnstrūmentum	instrument
das Experiment	experīmentum	experiment
das Monument	monumentum	monument
das Argument	argūmentum	argument
das Element	elementum	element

Conclusion

Grammatical gender is one of the harder aspects of learning German. Fortunately, it can become simpler by understanding the patterns that help predict the gender of German nouns from their endings.

German is not the only language with such patterns. There are some in French as well.

For more on German vocabulary, have a look at this list of the 1000 most common German words.