1) All nouns in German have a gender: masculine, feminine, or neuter.

2) The gender of a noun is determined by its definite article.der = masculinedie = femininedas = neuter

* All plural nouns are feminine!!!!!!!!!!

The gender may also be identified by the indefinite article of the noun.

ein = masculine or neuter eine = feminine

The definite and indefinite articles of nouns change their forms depending on the function of the noun in a sentence. This is called declension of the noun by case.

There are four cases in the German language:Nominative = subjectGenitive = object of the preposition (not shown in this book series)Dative = indirect objectAccusative = direct object

Nominative Case is the Nominative Case is the subject casesubject case. . Nouns are in the Nominative Case when Nouns are in the Nominative Case when they are the doers of the action in the they are the doers of the action in the sentence.sentence.

With Nominative Case, we use With Nominative Case, we use der, die, der, die, and and das das with the nouns.with the nouns.

We can also use We can also use ein ein and and eine.eine.

Der Mann läuft 100 Meter.Der Mann läuft 100 Meter.

Die Beatrice springt weit.Die Beatrice springt weit.

Das Buch ist interessant.Das Buch ist interessant.

Ein Schüler wirft Speer.Ein Schüler wirft Speer.

Eine Mutter liebt uns immer.Eine Mutter liebt uns immer.

Accusative Case is the Accusative Case is the direct object casedirect object case. . Nouns are in the Accusative Case when they Nouns are in the Accusative Case when they are the receivers of the action of the verb. are the receivers of the action of the verb.

With Accusative Case the article With Accusative Case the article der der changes changes to to den.den.

The “The “einein” for masculine nouns changes to ” for masculine nouns changes to ““einen”.einen”.

Feminine and neuter nouns keep their Feminine and neuter nouns keep their articles.articles.

Ich sehe Ich sehe denden Mann. Mann.

Sie wirft Sie wirft den den Ball im Park.Ball im Park.

Ich trinke Ich trinke einen einen Kaffee.Kaffee.

Pronouns also change case.Pronouns also change case.

Nominative Case PronounsNominative Case Pronouns

ichich wirwir

dudu ihrihr

erer siesie

siesie SieSie

eses

Accusative Case PronounsAccusative Case Pronouns

michmich unsuns

dichdich eucheuch

ihnihn siesie

siesie SieSie

eses

Masculine nouns have the most changes.der Mann

N der Mann ein MannG des Mannes eines MannesD dem Mann einem MannA den Mann einen Mann

Der Mann sieht den Hund.Den Mann sieht der Hund.

Feminine nouns have the fewest changes.die Frau

N die Frau eine FrauG der Frau einer FrauD der Frau einer FrauA die Frau eine Frau

Neuter nouns have fewer changes than masculine, but more than feminine.

Das Kind

N das Kind ein KindG des Kindes eines KindesD dem Kind einem KindA das Kind ein Kind