Let’s Learn German Nouns

Nouns represent or name people, places, or things. That's why you may sometimes come across the definition "naming word" for nouns. A noun is called Nomen or Substantiv in German. German nouns differ from English nouns in several ways. When learning them in German, you’ll need to consider their gender, which article to use with them and how to make plural forms.

In this article, we’ll guide you through the most important grammar aspects of German nouns so that you can feel confident using them in your daily conversations.

Capitalization, compound nouns and nominalization

German nouns are always capitalized. So, it is really easy to identify them while reading. They often form an alliance with words (articles) such as der, die das, den, dem, seine, meine, etc.

The German language is infamous for building long words by combining several nouns into one. This might sound a bit crazy in the beginning, but you will quickly learn that this is one of the most practical features of German. These long words are called compound nouns (Komposita). In a Kompositum, the second word determines the gender.

• Apfel + Baum = Apfelbaum (apple + tree = apple tree)
• Film + Schule = Filmschule (film + school = film school)

Additionally, verbs and adjectives can be nominalized. That means that you can transfer them without further ado into nouns:

• Das Schwimmen macht Spaß. (Swimming is fun.)
• This is etwas Neues. (This is something new.)

German gender for nouns

German nouns have three different genders: feminine, masculine and neuter. Knowing the noun’s gender is important because your definite articles der, die and das (in English, “the”) need to match the gender of the noun.

When referring to a noun in plural form, you’ll use the definite article die, regardless of the gender. Easy!

German nouns and their plural forms

Plural refers to a quantity greater than one. German nouns have different plural forms, and the pluralization rules vary. Common plural endings include "-e," "-en," "-er," or "-n" to the noun's base form. Some nouns undergo vowel changes in the plural. Some are the same as the base form. Too much? You can play it safe and learn the noun with its plural right away.

While memorization is the best way to master using German plural nouns correctly, there are some helpful tips you can use as well. They will help you to take an educated guess when forming the plural.

Form the plural of many masculine and neuter nouns by adding “-e” to the end of the word.

• Singular: der Hund – plural: die Hunde (the dog – the dogs)
• Singular: der Tisch – plural: die Tische (the table – the tables)
• Singular: das Bein – plural: die Beine (the leg – the legs)
• Singular: das Pferd – plural: die Pferde (the horse – the horses)

Neuter nouns that end in “-er”, “-el”, “-en”, “-chen” and “-lein” in the singular usually don’t have special plural endings.

• Singular: das Mädchen – plural: die Mädchen (the girl – the girls)
• Singular: das Fenster – plural: die Fenster (the window – the windows)

For feminine nouns, you mostly form the plural by adding either “-n”, “-en”, or “-nen”.

• Singular: die Lampe – plural: die Lampen (the lamp – the lamps)
• Singular: die Uhr – plural: die Uhren (the clock – the clocks)
• Singular: die Erzieherin – plural: die Erzieherinnen (the nursery teacher – the nursery teachers)

Foreign words, such as English loanwords, as well as nouns that end in a vowel, often receive the ending “-s” in their plural form.

• Singular: das Kino – plural: die Kinos (the movie theater – the movie theaters)
• Singular: der Job – plural: die Jobs (the job – the jobs)

Note: Some foreign words can have a different ending entirely, such as das Solo – die Soli (solo) or das Lexikon – die Lexika (lexicon).

Understanding how German nouns are pluralized will boost your confidence when speaking. To feel even more confident in your German grammar abilities, check out our German grammar guide.

Many German nouns also feature a vowel change to an Umlaut (ä, ö, ü) in their plural form. In these cases, the words retain the same meaning.

• Singular: der Apfel – plural: die Äpfel (the apple – the apples)
  
• Singular: der Stuhl – plural: die Stühle (the chair – the chairs)
  
• Singular: der Mann – plural: die Männer (the man – the men)

While memorization is the best way to master using German plural nouns correctly, there are some helpful tips you can use as well.

Form the plural of many masculine and neuter nouns by adding “-e” to the end of the word.

• Singular: der Hund – plural: die Hunde (the dog – the dogs)
  
• Singular: der Tisch – plural: die Tische (the table – the tables)
  
• Singular: das Bein – plural: die Beine (the leg – the legs)
  
• Singular: das Pferd – plural: die Pferde (the horse – the horses)

Neuter nouns that end in “-er”, “-el”, “-en”, “-chen” and “-lein” in the singular usually don’t have special plural endings.

• Singular: das Mädchen – plural: die Mädchen (the girl – the girls)
  
• Singular: das Fenster – plural: die Fenster (the window – the windows)

For feminine nouns, you mostly form the plural by adding either “-n”, “-en”, or “-nen”.

If the singular noun ends in “-e” like many feminine nouns do, you usually add “-n”. If the noun doesn’t have the singular ending “-e”, you will add “-en”. For a feminine person or profession such as Lehrerin (teacher) you will have to add “-nen”.

• Singular: die Lampe – plural: die Lampen (the lamp – the lamps)
  
• Singular: die Uhr – plural: die Uhren (the clock – the clocks)
  
• Singular: die Erzieherin – plural: die Erzieherinnen (the nursery teacher – the nursery teachers)

Foreign words, such as English loanwords, as well as nouns that end in a vowel, often receive the ending “-s” in their plural form.

• Singular: das Kino – plural: die Kinos (the cinema – the cinemas)
  
• Singular: der Job – plural: die Jobs (the job – the jobs)

Note: Some foreign words can have a different ending entirely, such as das Solo – die Soli (solo) or das Lexikon – die Lexika (lexicon).

Understanding how German nouns are pluralized will boost your confidence when speaking. To feel even more confident in your German grammar abilities, check out our German grammar guide.

How to study German nouns

• While memorizing, choose a color for each gender and highlight each new noun respectively.

• In many textbooks and dictionaries, the nouns´ articles are abbreviated: r for der, e for die, s for das and Pl. for plural. You can do that, too!

• If you study a new topic such as food and drinks, review all the masculine nouns, the feminine nouns, and the neuter nouns separately instead of all mixed together.

• Study words with the same plural endings together.

• Make a list of nouns in German that stick out to you the most and start by learning those.

Choose whatever method works best for you, and remember that regular practice is the main key to success.

German nouns: Now you know the basics

You’re well on your way to using German nouns correctly and are now familiar with the German genders for nouns, how to use definite articles correctly, and how to change German nouns to their plural forms.

This is a great step toward speaking German with confidence. Ready to keep learning? We’re here to help you master your proficiency in German, from one proficiency level to the next.