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5,000+ German words from 26 simple rules

Verbamor's free German word patterns list turns English you already know into German you can understand and say. Learn one of the 26 rules and a whole group of words comes with it, so together they cover 5,000+ words. The page and the PDF give you 203 examples to start with. The first 4 are open below. Leave your email to open the other 22 and get the printable PDF.

Verbamor screenshot titled ‘The lesson ends. The words stay.’ Before: a learner sits alone at her laptop after a lesson. Three Spanish cards saved from it, la cuenta, el mesero and la propina, lead to the after: she laughs and chats with a waiter at a café table.

Verbamor records your lesson and turns what your tutor taught into cards that come back on schedule.

-ity → -ität

university in English is Universität in German.

26 patterns
203 example words
7 groups
Free PDF

Words you already know 8

English shares thousands of words with German. Learn one ending and you get the whole group.

-tion stays -tionFeminine, die Nation, station, information -tion stays -tion

English words that end in -tion often end in -tion in German. These words are feminine. Say die Nation. Say the ending tsee-OHN.

die Nationnation
die Informationinformation
die Situationsituation
die Stationstation
die Traditiontradition
die Positionposition
die Funktionfunction
die Revolutionrevolution

-ity-itätFeminine, die University, quality, reality -ity becomes -ität

English words that end in -ity end in -ität in German. These words are feminine. Say die Universität. The stress falls on the ending.

die Universitätuniversity
die Qualitätquality
die Realitätreality
die Aktivitätactivity
die Nationalitätnationality
die Elektrizitätelectricity
die Kreativitätcreativity
die Identitätidentity

-y-ieFeminine, die Energy, theory, biology -y becomes -ie

Many English words that end in -y end in -ie in German. These words are feminine. Say die Energie. Say the ending EE.

die Energieenergy
die Theorietheory
die Biologiebiology
die Demokratiedemocracy
die Philosophiephilosophy
die Fantasiefantasy
die Therapietherapy
die Strategiestrategy

-ment stays -mentNeuter, das Document, experiment, instrument -ment stays -ment

English words that end in -ment often end in -ment in German. Most of them are neuter. Say das Dokument. Der Moment is masculine.

das Dokumentdocument
das Experimentexperiment
das Instrumentinstrument
das Argumentargument
das Elementelement
das Parlamentparliament
das Medikamentmedicine
das Fundamentfoundation

-ism-ismusMasculine, der Tourism, optimism, realism -ism becomes -ismus

English words that end in -ism end in -ismus in German. These words are masculine. Say der Tourismus.

der Tourismustourism
der Optimismusoptimism
der Pessimismuspessimism
der Realismusrealism
der Journalismusjournalism
der Egoismusselfishness
der Kapitalismuscapitalism
der Idealismusidealism

-ist stays -istMasculine, der Tourist, journalist, pianist -ist stays -ist

English words that end in -ist end in -ist in German. These words are masculine. Add -in for a woman. Say die Touristin.

der Touristtourist
der Journalistjournalist
der Pianistpianist
der Spezialistspecialist
der Optimistoptimist
der Pessimistpessimist
der Realistrealist
der Polizistpolice officer

-ic / -ical-isch Typical, practical, logical -ic / -ical becomes -isch

English adjectives that end in -ic or -ical often end in -isch. Typical is typisch. Logical is logisch. Write them with a small letter.

typischtypical
praktischpractical
elektrischelectric
logischlogical
politischpolitical
fantastischfantastic
romantischromantic
historischhistoric

-ize / -ate-ieren Organize, communicate, motivate -ize / -ate becomes -ieren

Many English verbs that end in -ize or -ate end in -ieren in German. Organize is organisieren. These verbs are regular. Their past form takes no ge-. Say ich habe organisiert.

organisierento organize
kritisierento criticize
minimierento minimize
stabilisierento stabilize
kommunizierento communicate
motivierento motivate
koordinierento coordinate
demonstrierento demonstrate

Gender and articles 5

The ending or the meaning of a word often gives its gender. Learn the group, not each word.

-ungFeminine, die Newspaper, apartment, opinion Words in -ung are feminine

Words that end in -ung are feminine. Say die Zeitung. Many of them come from a verb. Wohnen becomes die Wohnung.

die Zeitungnewspaper
die Wohnungapartment
die Meinungopinion
die Rechnungbill, check
die Übungexercise
die Erfahrungexperience
die Bedeutungmeaning
die Einladunginvitation

-heit / -keitFeminine, die Freedom, health, truth Words in -heit and -keit are feminine

Words that end in -heit or -keit are feminine. Say die Freiheit. They often turn an adjective into a noun. Frei becomes die Freiheit.

die Freiheitfreedom
die Gesundheithealth
die Wahrheittruth
die Krankheitillness
die Sicherheitsafety, security
die Möglichkeitpossibility
die Schwierigkeitdifficulty
die Freundlichkeitfriendliness

-chen / -leinNeuter, das Girl, bread roll, kitten Small things in -chen are neuter

Words that end in -chen or -lein are neuter. They name a small one. The vowel often takes an umlaut. Das Haus becomes das Häuschen. Das Mädchen is neuter too.

das Mädchengirl
das Brötchenbread roll
das Kätzchenkitten
das Häuschenlittle house
das Hähnchenchicken (to eat)
das Märchenfairy tale
das Würstchensmall sausage
das Büchleinlittle book

derMasculine, der Monday, May, summer Days, months and seasons are masculine

Days, months and seasons are masculine. Say der Montag and der Sommer. Use am for days. Say am Montag. Use im for months and seasons. Say im Mai.

der MontagMonday
der FreitagFriday
der SonntagSunday
der JanuarJanuary
der MaiMay
der DezemberDecember
der Sommersummer
der Winterwinter

dasNeuter, das Food, life, meeting A verb used as a noun is neuter

Any verb can work as a noun. Write it with a capital letter. It is always neuter. Essen means to eat. Das Essen means the food.

das Essenfood, meal
das Lebenlife
das Treffenmeeting
das Schwimmenswimming
das Lesenreading
das Wissenknowledge
das Vertrauentrust
das Rauchensmoking

Exceptions 2

These common words break the rules. Learn each set together.

≠ Cheese, name, eye -e words that are not feminine

Most nouns that end in -e are feminine. Say die Lampe. These common words break the rule. Learn each one with its article.

der Käsecheese
der Namename
der Jungeboy
der Haserabbit
das Endeend
das Augeeye
das Interesseinterest
das Gebäudebuilding

≈ Poison, cell phone, child Words that look like English but are not

Most look-alike words mean the same in English. These do not. Gift means poison, not present. Learn the real meaning of each one.

bekommento get, to receivenot become
das Giftpoisonnot gift
das Handycell phonenot handy
der Ratadvicenot rat
der Chefbossnot chef
aktuellcurrent, up to datenot actual
die Artkind, typenot art
das Kindchildnot kind (nice)

Plurals and other rules 2

One small rule changes many words.

Aa Dog, table, city Every noun starts with a capital

Every German noun starts with a capital letter. Write der Hund, not der hund. The capitals help you find the nouns in a sentence.

der Hunddog
der Tischtable
der Apfelapple
die Stadtcity
die Türdoor
das Buchbook
das Fensterwindow
das Autocar

+n / +enFeminine, die Lamp, woman, bag Feminine nouns add -n or -en

Most feminine nouns add -n or -en in the plural. Die Lampe becomes die Lampen. The plural article is always die.

die Lampe becomes die Lampenlamp
die Frau becomes die Frauenwoman
die Tasche becomes die Taschenbag
die Blume becomes die Blumenflower
die Straße becomes die Straßenstreet
die Uhr becomes die Uhrenclock, watch
die Antwort becomes die Antwortenanswer
die Schule becomes die Schulenschool

Word building 3

Add a small part to a word you know. You get a new word.

+ Glove, fridge, weekend The last word gives the gender

German joins nouns into one long word. The last part gives the gender. Die Hand and der Schuh make der Handschuh, a glove.

Hand + Schuh becomes der Handschuhglove
kühl + Schrank becomes der Kühlschrankfridge
Bahn + Hof becomes der Bahnhoftrain station
Geburt + Tag becomes der Geburtstagbirthday
Haus + Aufgabe becomes die Hausaufgabehomework
fahren + Rad becomes das Fahrradbicycle
Woche + Ende becomes das Wochenendeweekend
krank + Haus becomes das Krankenhaushospital

un- Unhappy, impossible, unknown Un- makes the opposite

Add un- to an adjective to make the opposite. Möglich becomes unmöglich. It works like un- in English.

glücklich becomes unglücklichunhappy
möglich becomes unmöglichimpossible
freundlich becomes unfreundlichunfriendly
bekannt becomes unbekanntunknown
klar becomes unklarunclear
gesund becomes ungesundunhealthy
wichtig becomes unwichtigunimportant
ruhig becomes unruhigrestless

-inFeminine, die Teacher, friend, doctor -in names the woman

Add -in for a woman. Der Lehrer becomes die Lehrerin. These words are feminine. Some take an umlaut. Der Arzt becomes die Ärztin.

der Lehrer becomes die Lehrerinfemale teacher
der Freund becomes die Freundinfemale friend, girlfriend
der Arzt becomes die Ärztinfemale doctor
der Koch becomes die Köchinfemale cook
der Student becomes die Studentinfemale student
der Verkäufer becomes die Verkäuferinsaleswoman
der Nachbar becomes die Nachbarinfemale neighbor
der Kollege becomes die Kolleginfemale colleague

Verbs 4

Each set of verbs behaves in one way. Learn the set together.

an · auf Call, get up, shop The first part moves to the end

Some verbs start with a part that splits off. That part goes to the end. Anrufen becomes ich rufe dich an. Stress the first part.

anrufen becomes ich rufe anto call (on the phone)
aufstehen becomes ich stehe aufto get up
einkaufen becomes ich kaufe einto go shopping
mitkommen becomes ich komme mitto come along
abfahren becomes ich fahre abto leave, to depart
fernsehen becomes ich sehe fernto watch TV
aufmachen becomes ich mache aufto open
zumachen becomes ich mache zuto close

sein Go, come, stay Verbs that take sein in the past

Most verbs use haben for the past. Say ich habe gegessen. Verbs of movement and change use sein. Say ich bin gefahren.

gehen becomes ich bin gegangento go, to walk
kommen becomes ich bin gekommento come
fahren becomes ich bin gefahrento drive, to ride
fliegen becomes ich bin geflogento fly
laufen becomes ich bin gelaufento run
bleiben becomes ich bin gebliebento stay
werden becomes ich bin gewordento become
passieren becomes es ist passiertto happen

kann Can, must, want The second verb goes to the end

Modal verbs say can, must or want. The second verb goes to the end. Say ich kann gut schwimmen.

können becomes ich kanncan, to be able to
müssen becomes ich mussmust, to have to
wollen becomes ich willto want
dürfen becomes ich darfmay, to be allowed to
sollen becomes ich sollshould, to be supposed to
mögen becomes ich magto like

sich Be glad, sit down, hurry Verbs that need sich

Some verbs need sich. Change sich to match the person. Say ich freue mich and du freust dich.

sich freuen becomes ich freue michto be glad
sich setzen becomes ich setze michto sit down
sich beeilen becomes ich beeile michto hurry
sich erinnern becomes ich erinnere michto remember
sich fühlen becomes ich fühle michto feel
sich waschen becomes ich wasche michto wash (yourself)

Pronunciation 2

Some letters do not sound the way an English reader expects.

ei · ie My, wine, beer Ei says eye, ie says ee

Read the second letter of the pair. Ei sounds like eye, as in mein. Ie sounds like ee, as in Bier.

meinmysounds like mine
der Weinwinesounds like vine
dreithreesounds like dry
das Bierbeersounds like beer
die LiebeloveLEE-buh
vierfoursounds like fear
siebensevenZEE-ben

w v z Water, father, train W says v, v says f, z says ts

W sounds like English v. Say VAS-er for Wasser. V usually sounds like f. Z sounds like ts, as in cats.

das WasserwaterVAS-er
das WetterweatherVET-er
der VaterfatherFAH-ter
viela lot, muchsounds like feel
der VogelbirdFOH-gel
der Zugtraintsook
zehntentsayn
das ZimmerroomTSIM-er

C Colin Taylor Oct 23, 2026 · 8 min read Drafted with Claude (AI), reviewed and edited by Colin Taylor. How pieces are written

How to use these patterns

Read one pattern a day. Say the example words out loud. Then look for that pattern in what you read and hear that week. A pattern you notice three times in real German stays with you. Soon you hear those words in speech and use them in your own sentences.

Start with the first group, words you already know. Those 8 patterns turn English words you use every day into German ones. The gender group comes next. It tells you der, die or das before you look the word up.

The same kind of list exists for Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese and Russian, each with its own free PDF.

A pattern is a guide, and every guide has exceptions. The exceptions group lists the common ones, like der Käse. When a word you made from a pattern sounds wrong, check it.

Patterns cover the words you can work out. For the words you can't, the cognate checker marks the false friends that look like English and mean something else.

Questions people ask

What is a German word pattern?

A rule that changes many words at once. English words that end in -ity end in -ität in German. These words are feminine. When you know that rule, you know die Universität, die Qualität and die Realität before anyone teaches them to you.

Do the patterns always work?

Most of the time, and each pattern says where it stops. The exceptions group lists common words that break the rules, like der Käse. The false friends pattern lists words that look like English and mean something else, like bekommen, which means to get, to receive.

Is this the same as the Word patterns screen in Verbamor?

Yes. These are the same 26 German patterns. In the app you can pick any example word and save it as a flashcard with a picture, an example sentence and audio.

What do I get by email?

A printable PDF with all 26 patterns and 203 example words, and my post-lesson debrief handbook. Then a few short emails. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Turn a pattern into words you can say.

Open Word patterns in Verbamor, pick the words you want, and save them. Each card gets a picture, an example sentence and audio, and comes back just before you forget it, so the word is there when you need it in a conversation.

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