De or het? The Dutch article rules
Every Dutch noun takes one of two definite articles: de or het. Which one is mostly a matter of memorization, but there are reliable patterns: certain word endings, beginnings and meaning categories predict the article surprisingly well. Learning these rules gives you the right answer for thousands of words at once.
One rule beats all the others: a plural noun always takes de (het huis, but de huizen). The rules below say 'often' for a reason: most have exceptions. Treat them as strong defaults, not laws, and let the quiz correct you where a word breaks its pattern.
Word endings
The ending of a noun is the strongest clue. Diminutives (-je and its variants) are the only 100% guarantee: they always take het.
Nouns ending in -heid are often "de".
de mogelijkheid (the possibility) · de veiligheid (the safety) · de vrijheid (the freedom)
Nouns ending in -nis are often "de".
de geschiedenis (the history) · de gevangenis (the prison) · de kennis (the knowledge)
Nouns ending in -de are often "de".
de liefde (the love) · de aarde (the earth) · de orde (the order)
Nouns ending in -te are often "de".
de ruimte (the space) · de ziekte (the illness) · de behoefte (the need)
Nouns ending in -ij are often "de".
de abdij (the abbey) · de batterij (the battery) · de boerderij (the farm)
Nouns ending in -erij are often "de".
de bakkerij (the bakery) · de brouwerij (the brewery) · de drukkerij (the printing press)
Nouns ending in -arij are often "de".
de heksenarij (the witchcraft)
Nouns ending in -enij are often "de".
Nouns ending in -ernij are often "de".
de slavernij ((the) slavery)
Nouns ending in -ing are often "de".
de bedoeling (the intention) · de beslissing (the decision) · de beweging (the movement)
Nouns ending in -st are often "de".
de angst (the fear) · de borst (the breast) · de dienst (the service)
Nouns ending in -ie are often "de".
de familie (the family) · de nachtmerrie (the nightmare) · de compagnie (the company)
Nouns ending in -tie are often "de".
de politie (the police) · de vakantie (the holiday) · de administatie (the administration)
Nouns ending in -sie are often "de".
de conclusie (the conclusion) · de discussie (the discussion) · de explosie (the explosion)
Nouns ending in -logie are often "de".
de biologie (the biology) · de geologie (the geology) · de psychologie (the psychology)
Nouns ending in -sofie are often "de".
de filosofie (the philosophy)
Nouns ending in -agogie are often "de".
de pedagogie (the pedagogy)
Nouns ending in -iek are often "de".
de politiek (the politics) · de fabriek (the factory) · de techniek (the technique)
Nouns ending in -ica are often "de".
de cosmetica (the cosmetics) · de grammatica (the grammar) · de harmonica (the harmonica)
Nouns ending in -theek are often "de".
de apotheek (the pharmacy) · de bibliotheek (the library) · de discotheek (the discotheque)
Nouns ending in -teit are often "de".
Nouns ending in -iteit are often "de".
de activiteit (the activity) · de creativiteit (the creativity) · de diversiteit (the diversity)
Nouns ending in -tuur are often "de".
de natuur (the nature) · de apparatuur (the equipment) · de cultuur (the culture)
Nouns ending in -suur are often "de".
Nouns ending in -ade are often "de".
de limonade (the lemonade) · de promenade (the promenade)
Nouns ending in -ide are often "de".
de cyanide (the cyanide) · de sulfide (the sulfide)
Nouns ending in -ode are often "de".
de episode (the episode) · de methode (the method) · de periode (the period)
Nouns ending in -ude are often "de".
de latitude (the latitude)
Nouns ending in -ine are often "de".
de benzine (the petrol) · de machine (the machine) · de marine (the navy)
Nouns ending in -se are often "de".
de analyse (the analysis) · de fase (the phase) · de hypothese (the hypothesis)
Nouns ending in -age are often "de".
de bagage (the luggage) · de etalage (the shop window) · de garage (the garage)
Nouns ending in -sis are often "de".
de basis (the base) · de basis (the basis) · de crisis (the crisis)
Nouns ending in -tis are often "de".
de artritis (the arthritis) · de bronchitis (the bronchitis) · de hepatitis (the hepatitis)
Nouns ending in -xis are often "de".
Nouns ending in -isme are often "het".
het kapitalisme (the capitalism) · het realisme (the realism) · het socialisme (the socialism)
Nouns ending in -ment are often "het".
het appartement (the apartment) · het compliment (the compliment) · het document (the document)
Nouns ending in -sel are often "het".
het mengsel (the mixture) · het raadsel (the riddle) · het voedsel (the food)
Nouns ending in -um are often "het".
het centrum (the center) · het museum (the museum) · het parfum (the perfume)
Diminutive nouns ending in -je, -tje, -pje, -etje always use "het".
het drankje (the drink) · het kindje (the little child) · het meisje (the girl)
Word beginnings
Nouns formed with these unstressed prefixes are often het words.
Nouns starting with be- are often "het".
het bereik (the range) · het bericht (the message) · het besluit (the resolution)
Nouns starting with ge- are often "het".
het gebouw (the building) · het gevoel (the feeling) · het gezicht (the face)
Nouns starting with ver- are often "het".
het vertrek (the departure) · het verleden (the past) · het verlies (the loss)
Nouns starting with ont- are often "het".
het ontbijt (the breakfast) · het ontslag (the dismissal) · het ontsnapping (the escape)
Word meaning
Some groups of words share an article because of what they mean, regardless of how they are spelled.
Professions and persons often are "de".
de broer (the brother) · de dochter (the daughter) · de gast (the guest)
Mountains and rivers often are "de".
de berg (the mountain) · de Maas (the Meuse) · de Nijl (the Nile)
Fruits, vegetables, plants, and trees often are "de".
de boom (the tree) · de aardappel (the potato) · de appel (the apple)
Names of languages and places often are "het".
het Duits (the German language) · het Engels (the English language) · het Nederlands (the Dutch language)
Materials and metals often are "het".
het glas (the glass) · het goud (the gold) · het hout (the wood)
Sports and games often are "het".
het spel (the game) · het honkbal (the baseball)
Cardinal directions often are "het".
het oosten (the east) · het westen (the West) · het zuiden (the South)
The override rules
These rules override every other rule on this page. They can even combine on the same word, and plural always wins: de fiets becomes het fietsje once it's small, but de fietsjes again as soon as there's more than one.
Plural nouns always take "de", regardless of other rules.
de kinderen (the children)