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Nouns - Masculine Gender

The gender of a German noun cannot be recognized very often by the noun itself. But there are a few tendencies in that respect as the following rules show. Here is a list of those nouns which have a masculine gender and are accompanied by the masculine definite article der:

Examples		Phonetic Script	English

Determination by meanings

male persons
Mann m		[man]	man
Sohn m		[zo:n]	son

seasons
Frühling m		['fry:lɪŋ]	spring
Sommer m		['zɔmɐ]	summer
Herbst m		[hɛrpst]	autumn
Winter m		['vɪntɐ]	winter

months
Januar m		['janua:ɐ]	January
Februar m		['fe:brua:ɐ]	February
März m		[mɛrts]	March
April m		[a'prɪl]	April
Mai m		[mai]	May
Juni m		['ju:ni]	June
Juli m		['ju:li]	July
August m		[au'gʊst]	August
September m		[zɛp'tɛmbɐ]	September
Oktober m		[ɔk'to:bɐ]	October
November m		[no'vɛmbɐ]	November
Dezember m		[de'tsɛmbɐ]	December

days of the week
Sonntag m		['zɔnta:k]	Sunday
Montag m		['mo:nta:k]	Monday
Dienstag m		['di:nsta:k]	Tuesday
Mittwoch m		['mɪtvɔx]	Wednesday
Donnerstag m		['dɔnɐsta:k]	Thursday
Freitag m		['fraita:k]	Friday
Samstag m		['zamsta:k]	Saturday

times of the day
Morgen m		['mɔrgən]	morning
Vormittag m		['foɐmɪta:k]	morning (literally: before noon)
Mittag m		['mɪta:k]	noon
Nachmittag m		['na:xmɪta:k]	afternoon
Abend m		['a:bənt]	evening
exception:	Nacht f	[naxt]	night

four points of the compass
Norden m		['nɔrdən]	north
Osten m		['ɔstən]	east
Süden m		['zy:dən]	south
Westen m		['vɛstən]	west

all kinds of weather
Regen m		['re:gən]	rain
Schnee m		[ʃne:]	snow
Hagel m		['ha:gəl]	hail
Frost m		[frɔst]	frost
Nebel m		['ne:bəl]	fog
Sturm m		[ʃtʊrm]	storm
Wind m		[vɪnt]	wind
Blitz m		[blɪts]	lightning
Donner m		['dɔnɐ]	thunder
exceptions:	Wetter nt	['vɛtɐ]	weather
	Gewitter nt	[gə'vɪtɐ]	thunderstorm

currencies
Euro m		['ɔyro]	euro
Dollar m		['dɔlar]	dollar
Cent m		[sɛnt]	cent
Rubel m		['ru:bəl]	rouble
exceptions:	Krone f	['kro:nə]	krone
	Lira f	['li:ra]	lira
	Pesete f	[pe'ze:tə]	peseta
	Pfund nt	[pfʊnt]	pound
	Rupie f	['ru:piə]	rupee

names of cars
Mercedes m		[mɛr'tse:dəs]	Mercedes
Porsche m		['pɔrʃə]	Porsche
exception:	Auto nt	['auto]	car

names of trains
Zug m		[tsu:k]	train
ICE m		[i:tse:'e:]	Intercityexpress (high-speed train)
Urlaubsexpress m		['u:əlaupsɛksprɛs]	holiday express train

alcoholic drinks
Alkohol m		['alkoho:l]	alcohol
Champagner m		[ʃam'panjɐ]	champagne
Cocktail m		['kɔkte:l]	cocktail
Cognac m		['kɔnjak]	cognac
Likör m		[li'kø:ɐ]	liqueur
Schnaps m		[ʃnaps]	schnapps
Sekt m		[zɛkt]	sparkling wine
Sherry m		['ʃɛri]	sherry
Wein m		[vain]	wine
Weinbrand m		['vainbrant]	brandy
Whisk(e)y m		['vɪski]	whisk(e)y
exception:	Bier nt	[bi:ə]	beer


Determination by endings, pre- or suffixes

foreign nouns ending in -and
Doktorand m		[dɔkto'rant]	doctoral candidate

foreign nouns ending in -ant
Fabrikant m		[fabri'kant]	factory owner
Praktikant m		[prakti'kant]	trainee (having a practical training)

foreign nouns ending in -ar describing persons
Kommissar m		[kɔmɪ'sa:ɐ]	inspector
Jubilar m		[jubi'la:ɐ]	person celebrating sth

foreign nouns ending in -är describing persons
Funktionär m		[fʊŋktsio'nɛɐ]	functionary, official
Millionär m		[mɪlio'nɛ:ɐ]	millionaire

foreign nouns ending in -ast describing persons
Cineast m		[si:ne'ast]	cineast
Enthusiast m		[ɛntu'ziast]	enthusiast

foreign nouns ending in -at describing persons
Bürokrat m		[byro'kra:t]	bureaucrat
Kandidat m		[kandi'da:t]	candidate

foreign nouns ending in -ator
Diktator m		[dɪk'ta:to:ɐ]	despot
Restaurator m		[restau'ra:to:ɐ]	restorer

nouns ending in -en made of verbs describing a state
Nutzen m		['nʊtsən]	advantage, benefit
Schaden m		['ʃa:dən]	damage

nouns made of a verb stem without -en
Anfang m (verb: anfangen)		['anfaŋ]	beginning
Versuch m (verb: versuchen)		[fɛɐ'zu:x]	attempt

foreign nouns ending in -ent
Student m		[ʃtu'dɛnt]	student (at university, not at school)
Dozent m		[do'tsɛnt]	lecturer (at university)

nouns ending in -er describing persons and machines
Lehrer m		['le:rɐ]	teacher
Computer m		[kɔm'pju:tɐ]	computer

nouns made of a verb stem + -er
Arbeiter m (verb: arbeiten)		['arbaitɐ]	worker
Fahrer m (verb: fahren)		['fa:rɐ]	driver

foreign nouns ending in -eur/-ör
Friseur/Frisör m		['frizø:ɐ]	hairdresser
Ingenieur m		[ɪnʒe'niø:ɐ]	engineer
exception:	Malheur nt	[ma'lø:ɐ]	mishap

foreign nouns ending in -graph/-graf
Paragraph (Paragraf) m		[para'gra:f]	paragraph
Choreograph (Choreograf) m		[koreo'gra:f]	choreographer

nouns ending in -ich
Teppich m		['tɛpɪç]	carpet
Pfirsich m		['pfɪrzɪç]	peach

nouns ending in -ig
König m		['kø:nɪç]	king
Honig m		['ho:nɪç]	honey

foreign nouns ending in -iker
Chemiker m		['çe:mɪkɐ]	chemist
Physiker m		['fy:zɪkɐ]	physicist

foreign nouns ending in -ismus
Atheismus m		[ate'ɪsmʊs]	atheism
Kapitalismus m		[kapita'lɪsmʊs]	capitalism

foreign nouns ending in -ist
Kommunist m		[kɔmu'nɪst]	communist
Tourist m		[tu'rɪst]	tourist

foreign nouns ending in -ius
Sozius m		['zo:tsiʊs]	partner, buddy, mate
Filius m		['fi:liʊs]	son

nouns ending in -ling
Zwilling m		['tsvɪlɪŋ]	twin
Feigling m		['faiklɪŋ]	coward

foreign nouns ending in -loge
Biologe m		[bio'lo:gə]	biologist
Psychologe m		[psyço'lo:gə]	psychologist

nouns ending in -m
Arm m		[arm]	arm
Turm m		[tʊrm]	tower

nouns ending in -ner
Partner m		['partnɐ]	partner
Rentner m		['rɛntnɐ]	pensioner

foreign nouns ending in -om
Ökonom m		[øko'no:m]	economist
exception:	Metronom nt	[metro'no:m]	metronome

foreign nouns ending in -or
Direktor m		[di'rɛkto:ɐ]	director, head(master)
Motor m		['mo:to:ɐ]	motor

foreign nouns ending in -us
Luxus m		['lʊksʊs]	luxury
Zirkus m		['tsɪrkʊs]	circus
exception:	Virus nt	['vi:rʊs]	virus