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Grammar Rule
Most metals and chemical elements are neuter.
Exceptions
der Stahl (steel), der Schwefel (sulfur), der Phosphor (phosphorus), die Bronze (bronze)
Words following this rule
11 nouns found das
Aluminium aluminum
das
Blei lead
das
Eisen iron
das
Gold gold
das
Helium helium
das
Kupfer copper
das
Messing brass
das
Platin platinum
das
Silber silver
das
Zink zinc
das
Zinn tin
Other das rules
All nouns with diminutive -chen ending are neuterAll nouns with diminutive -lein ending are neuterColors used as nouns are neuterMost metals and chemical elements are neuterNominalized infinitives (verbs used as nouns) are always neuterMost nouns beginning with prefix Ge- are neuterLetters used as nouns are neuterMusical notes are neuterNouns referring to young humans or animals are often neuterNouns ending in -um (Latin origin) are neuterNouns ending in -ium are neuterNouns ending in -ment are neuterNouns ending in -ma (Greek origin) are mostly neuterMost nouns ending in -o are neuterNouns ending in -tum are mostly neuterAbout 70% of nouns ending in -nis are neuterNouns ending in -ett are neuterMost country and city names are neuter (used without article)Names of hotels and cafés are neuterMany nouns ending in -at are neuterCollective nouns starting with Ge- are often neuterMost fractions are neuterLanguages used as nouns are neuterScientific terms ending in -ik (from Greek) can be neuterEnglish loanwords ending in -ing are neuterChemical/scientific terms ending in -in (long i sound) are neuter