As you have already learned, GENDER As you have already learned, GENDER plays an important role in the German plays an important role in the German language. language.

All nouns have a gender.All nouns have a gender.

The gender of a noun is identified by its The gender of a noun is identified by its DEFINITE ARTICLE, DEFINITE ARTICLE, der, dieder, die, or , or dasdas..

But there are other words that identify But there are other words that identify the gender of German nouns.the gender of German nouns.

Gender is also identified by the INDEFINITE Gender is also identified by the INDEFINITE ARTICLE, the word that means “a” or “an”.ARTICLE, the word that means “a” or “an”.

The INDEFINITE ARTICLE The INDEFINITE ARTICLE replacesreplaces the the DEFINITE ARTICLE.DEFINITE ARTICLE.

Masculine Masculine der Bruder der Bruder ein Bruderein BruderFeminineFeminine die Schwesterdie Schwester eine Schwestereine SchwesterNeuterNeuter das Kinddas Kind ein Kindein Kind

NOTE: ein DOES NOT have an ending in the NOTE: ein DOES NOT have an ending in the Nominative Case; eine DOES.Nominative Case; eine DOES.

The INDEFINITE ARTICLE is part of a The INDEFINITE ARTICLE is part of a group of words known as the “ein words”.group of words known as the “ein words”.

The other words in this group are the The other words in this group are the possessive adjectives, the words that possessive adjectives, the words that mean my, your, his, her, etc.mean my, your, his, her, etc.

The possessive adjectives use the EXACT The possessive adjectives use the EXACT SAME endings as SAME endings as einein and and eineeine..

mein (e) unser (e)

dein (e) euer (e)

sein (e) ihr (e)ihr (e) Ihr (e)sein (e)

Masculine Feminine NeuterMasculine Feminine Neuterand Pluraland Pluralmymy meinmein Bruder Bruder meinemeine Schwester Schwester meinmein Kind Kind

your your deindein Bruder Bruder deinedeine Schwester Schwester deindein Kind Kind

hishis seinsein Bruder Bruder seineseine Schwester Schwester sein sein KindKindher her ihrihr Bruder Bruder ihreihre Schwester Schwester ihrihr KindKind

its its sein sein BruderBruder seine seine Schwester Schwester sein sein KindKind

ourour unserunser unsere unsere unserunseryour your euereuer euere euere euereuer

their their ihrihr ihre ihre ihrihryour(pl)your(pl) IhrIhr Ihre Ihre IhrIhr