Week 3: Nouns & Articles
Gender: Common vs. Neuter
Learn to identify and use Danish noun genders
📚 Grammar Rules
Common Gender (en-words)
About 75% of Danish nounsa man, a book, a cat
No specific pattern - must be memorized
💡 Tip: Most living beings are common gender
Neuter Gender (et-words)
About 25% of Danish nounsa house, a child, an apple
Often abstract concepts, materials, young beings
💡 Tip: Many short words and infinitives as nouns are neuter
Gender Indicators
Some endings can help identify genderThese are guidelines, not strict rules
💡 Tip: Practice and exposure are key to mastering gender
💡 Quick Examples
en mand, en bog, en kat
a man, a book, a cat
et hus, et barn, et æble
a house, a child, an apple
-hed, -ning, -skab = common | -eri, -um, -ment = neuter
🎯 Memory Tips
- • Most people and animals are common gender (en)
- • Most abstract concepts are neuter gender (et)
- • When in doubt, guess en - it's more common!
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1
Identify the gender: 'mand' (man)
Exercise 2
Identify the gender: 'hus' (house)
Exercise 3
Identify the gender: 'bog' (book)
Exercise 4
Identify the gender: 'barn' (child)
Exercise 5
Complete: ___ kvinde (woman)
Exercise 6
Complete: ___ vand (water)
Exercise 7
Complete: ___ bil (car)
Exercise 8
Complete: ___ æble (apple)
Exercise 9
Choose correct: '___ bord' (table)
Exercise 10
Choose correct: '___ stol' (chair)