The idea
Store the German noun with its German article and a short phrase. Then keep that gender consistent when using a pronoun or adjective.
One contrast, not a prediction about every learner
Italian il sole is masculine, but German Sonne is feminine. Similar meanings and even related words do not ensure shared grammatical gender, so Italian articles cannot simply be converted into German ones.
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 warme Sonne scheint.Die warme Sonne scheint.Store the German noun with its German article and a short phrase. Then keep that gender consistent when using a pronoun or adjective.
Examples
- Die warme Sonne trocknet die nassen Gartenstühle.The warm sun dries the wet garden chairs.
- Die Sonne verschwindet kurz hinter einer großen Wolke.The sun briefly disappears behind a large cloud.
- Ich stelle den kleinen Tisch in den Schatten.I put the small table in the shade.
- Das neue Heft hat einen festen blauen Umschlag.The new notebook has a firm blue cover.
- Der alte Baum schützt uns vor der Mittagssonne.The old tree shelters us from the midday sun.
- Diese Lampe ist hell, obwohl sie sehr klein ist.This lamp is bright although it is very small.
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. Store the German noun with its German article and a short phrase. Then keep that gender consistent when using a pronoun or adjective.
Try it yourself
Korrigiere: Der warme Sonne scheint.
Show answer or example answer
Die warme Sonne scheint.
Die warme Sonne scheint. Store the German noun with its German article and a short phrase. Then keep that gender consistent when using a pronoun or adjective.
Ins Deutsche übertragen: The warm sun dries the wet garden chairs.
Show answer or example answer
Die warme Sonne trocknet die nassen Gartenstühle.
Die warme Sonne trocknet die nassen Gartenstühle. Store the German noun with its German article and a short phrase. Then keep that gender consistent when using a pronoun or adjective.
Ins Deutsche übertragen: The old tree shelters us from the midday sun.
Show answer or example answer
Der alte Baum schützt uns vor der Mittagssonne.
Der alte Baum schützt uns vor der Mittagssonne. 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 warme Sonne scheint.
Die warme Sonne scheint.
Ins Deutsche übertragen: The warm sun dries the wet garden chairs.
Die warme Sonne trocknet die nassen Gartenstühle.
Ins Deutsche übertragen: The old tree shelters us from the midday sun.
Der alte Baum schützt uns vor der Mittagssonne.
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 warme Sonne scheint.”. Check each one for the Italian habit this lesson corrects, then read them aloud.