The idea
Learn the German article with the noun and use that gender for adjective endings and pronouns. Avoid translating the French article separately from its noun.
One contrast, not a prediction about every learner
French le soleil is masculine and la table feminine, while German uses die Sonne and der Tisch. A familiar gendered French noun therefore does not supply the German article.
Individual experience, dialect and other languages you know can change which comparisons help. Use the contrast to notice a German choice; do not treat it as a label for a whole group of people.
Repair the transfer
Der Sonne wärmt die Terrasse.Die Sonne wärmt die Terrasse.Learn the German article with the noun and use that gender for adjective endings and pronouns. Avoid translating the French article separately from its noun.
Examples
- Die helle Sonne wärmt die Bank vor dem Haus.The bright sun warms the bench outside the house.
- Der runde Tisch passt gut in unsere Küche.The round table fits well in our kitchen.
- Wir stellen den Tisch direkt neben das Fenster.We put the table right beside the window.
- Die Sonne steht tief, aber sie blendet noch.The sun is low, but it is still dazzling.
- Der Tisch ist schwer, deshalb tragen wir ihn gemeinsam.The table is heavy, so we carry it together.
- Eine kleine Lampe beleuchtet das ganze Regal.A small lamp illuminates the entire shelving unit.
Read-aloud uses a synthetic German voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.
No German device voice is available. You can still read the text and use the linked listening resources.
Watch out
Do not generalize a source-language pattern to every German sentence. Learn the German article with the noun and use that gender for adjective endings and pronouns. Avoid translating the French article separately from its noun.
Try it yourself
Korrigiere: Der Sonne wärmt die Terrasse.
Show answer or example answer
Die Sonne wärmt die Terrasse.
Die Sonne wärmt die Terrasse. Learn the German article with the noun and use that gender for adjective endings and pronouns. Avoid translating the French article separately from its noun.
Ins Deutsche übertragen: The bright sun warms the bench outside the house.
Show answer or example answer
Die helle Sonne wärmt die Bank vor dem Haus.
Die helle Sonne wärmt die Bank vor dem Haus. Learn the German article with the noun and use that gender for adjective endings and pronouns. Avoid translating the French article separately from its noun.
Ins Deutsche übertragen: The table is heavy, so we carry it together.
Show answer or example answer
Der Tisch ist schwer, deshalb tragen wir ihn gemeinsam.
Der Tisch ist schwer, deshalb tragen wir ihn gemeinsam. Keep the meaning of the whole sentence while using the German pattern.
Practice round
Answer three questions, then rebuild three German sentences. We keep your score.
Korrigiere: Der Sonne wärmt die Terrasse.
Die Sonne wärmt die Terrasse.
Ins Deutsche übertragen: The bright sun warms the bench outside the house.
Die helle Sonne wärmt die Bank vor dem Haus.
Ins Deutsche übertragen: The table is heavy, so we carry it together.
Der Tisch ist schwer, deshalb tragen wir ihn gemeinsam.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Write three German sentences of your own that follow the pattern of “Die Sonne wärmt die Terrasse.”. Check each one for the French habit this lesson corrects, then read them aloud.