After we have hashed and rehashed feminine nouns in the last three posts, we finally come to an end of this topic. Remember that all nouns are feminine that refer to:
– female human beings (Mutter-mother; Frau-woman, wife; Tochter-daughter; the only exception is “Mädchen”-girl, which is neuter because of the syllable –chen)
– female occupations (Polizistin-police woman; Köchin-female cook; Lehrerin-female teacher, etc.)
– some names of animal species (Auster-oyster; Schnecke-snail; Fliege-fly; Raupe-caterpillar, etc.)
– many trees, fruits, and flowers (Buche-beech; Eiche-oak tree; Kirsche-cherry; Erdbeere-strawberry; Rose-rose; Tulpe-tulip)
– most bi-syllabic nouns that end with –e (Bitte-request; Lage-situation, location; Rache-revenge; Schule-school; Liebe-love; Tasse-cup; Tüte-bag)
– most names for rivers in Germany (Fulda; Oder; Havel; Donau-Danube; Mosel; Isar, etc.)
– names of ships, airplanes, and motorcycles (Titanic; Gorck Fock; Concorde; Boeing; BMW; Harley Davidson, etc. – Keep in mind that cars are usually masculine, so when you want to refer to car of the brand BMW it is “der BMW” when you talk of a car, and “die BMW” when you talk of a motorcycle.)
Below you find a list with noun endings that usually require the feminine gender. Most of these nouns are loan words from Latin and can also be found in other languages as well.
| -a: |
die Aula – assembly halldie Kamera – camera
die Hazienda – hacienda |
| -ade: |
die Ballade – balladdie Fassade – storefront; façade
die Schokolade – chocolate
die Marmelade – jam
die Olympiade – Olympics; Olympiad |
| -age: |
die Etage – floordie Garage – garage
die Montage – assembling; fitting; installation; montage
die Courage – courage |
| -anz: |
die Allianz – alliancedie Arroganz – arrogance
die Toleranz – tolerance
die Ignoranz – ignorance
die Bilanz – balance |
| -elle: |
die Bagatelle – trifle; bagatelledie Frikadelle – meatball
die Zitadelle – bastille; citadel
die Schattenmorelle – morello cherry |
| -enz: |
die Audienz – audience (with the Pope)die Existent – existence
die Frequenz – frequency
die Konseqenz – consequence
die Lizenz – license
die Prominenz – notables; VIPs; celebrity
die Intelligenz – intelligence |
| -ie: |
die Akademie – academydie Biologie – biology
die Chemie – chemistry
die Garantie – guarantee
die Geografie – geography
die Kalorie – calorie
die Kolonie – colony; settlement
die Lotterie – lottery
die Magie – magic
die Melodie – melody
die Orthografie – orthography
die Philosophie – philosophy
die Folie – foil; transparency
die Fuchsie – fuchsia
die Historie – history
die Kastanie – chestnut
doe Komödie – comedy
die Materie – (subject) matter |
| -ik: |
die Botanik – botanydie Klassik – classicism; classical (period/literature/music/age)
die Mathematik – mathematics
die Technik – engineering; technology; technique
die Musik – music
die Politik – politics
die Physik – physics |
| -ine: |
die Blondine – blondedie Margarine – margarine
die Maschine – machine
die Goldmine – gold mine |
| -ion: |
die Explosion – explosion; blastdie Eskalation – escalation
die Kalkulation – calculation
die Nation – nation
die Präposition – preposition
die Qualifikation – qualification |
| -isse: |
die Hornisse – hornetdie Narzisse – narcissus
die Prämisse – premise
die Kulisse – backdrop; setting; scenery
die Diakonisse – deaconess
die Abszisse – abscissa; x-coordinate |
| -itis: |
die Arthritis – arthritisdie Bronchitis – bronchitis
die Rachitis – rickets; rachitis |
| -sive: |
die Defensive – defensedie Offensive – offensive |
| -tive: |
die Alternative – choice; option; alternativedie Direktive – directive
die Exekutive – executive (branch)
die Initiative – initiative
die Judikative – judiciary
die Legislative – legislative |
| -ose: |
die Dextrose – dextrosedie Neurose – neurosis
die Psychose – psychosis
die Sklerose – sclerosis
die Tuberkulose – tuberculosis |
| -tät: |
die Identität – identitydie Banalität – triteness; banality
die Fakultät – faculty
die Kapazität – capacity
die Loyalität – loyality
die Mobilität – mobility
die Pietät – piety
die Qualität – quality
die Quantität – quantity
die Rarität – rarity; curiosity
die Realität – reality
die Universität – university |
| -thek: |
die Bibliothek – librarydie Diskothek – discotheque
die Videothek – video (rental) store; |
| -sur: |
die Klausur – written examdie Zensur – grade; censorship
die Mensur – students’ duel |
| -tur: |
die Fraktur – fracturedie Kultur – culture
die Literatur – literature
die Manufaktur – manufacture
die Natur – nature
die Temperatur – temperature
die Tortur – torture |
| -üre: |
die Broschüre – brochure; leafletdie Bordüre – border; trim
die Pediküre – pedicure
die Maniküre – manicure
die Lektüre – reading (matter) |
| -ei: |
die Bücherei – library; also: book storedie Bäckerei – bakery
die Fleischerei – butchery
die Lauferei – legwork; walking; running
die Malerei – painting
die Metzgerei – butchery |
| -heit: |
die Entschlossenheit – determinationdie Freiheit – freedom
die Gelegenheit – opportunity; chance
die Kindheit – childhood
die Krankheit – disease
die Feigheit – cowardice |
| -in: |
die Mandantin – client (fem)die Kundin – customer (fem)die Patientin – patient (fem) |
| -keit: |
die Tapferkeit – fortitude; braverydie Heiterkeit – mirth; cheerfulness; joviality
die Feuchtigkeit – moisture; humidity
die Dankbarkeit – gratitude; appreciation; gratefulness; thankfulness
die Freundlichkeit – kindness
die Fähigkeit – ability |
| -schaft: |
die Freundschaft – friendshipdie Gesellschaft – society; company (in Gesellschaft = in company)
die Kundschaft – clientele; customers
die Nachbarschaft – neighborhood |
| -ung: |
die Achtung – attentiondie Bildung – education; formation
die Heizung – heating
die Kündigung – dismissal; termination; notice
die Lösung – solution; resolution; answer
die Reinigung – purification; cleansing; dry cleaner
die Richtung – direction |
