What is the gender of "cat" in German? - briefly
The word for "cat" in German is "Katze," which is grammatically feminine.
What is the gender of "cat" in German? - in detail
In the German language, nouns are assigned a gender, which can be masculine, feminine, or neuter. The gender of a noun determines the form of articles and adjectives that accompany it. When discussing the gender of the word "cat" (Katze), it is important to note that in German, the gender of animate objects often corresponds to their biological sex.
The German word for cat, "Katze," is a feminine noun. This means that when referring to a cat, you would use the feminine definite article "die" and the indefinite article "eine." For example:
- Die Katze schläft auf dem Sofa. (The cat is sleeping on the sofa.)
- Eine Katze läuft über die Straße. (A cat is running across the street.)
Additionally, adjectives that describe the cat must agree with its gender. For instance:
- Die kleine Katze spielt mit einer Maus. (The little cat is playing with a mouse.)
- Eine schwarze Katze sitzt auf dem Dach. (A black cat is sitting on the roof.)
It's worth noting that there are exceptions and idiosyncrasies in German grammar, but for the most part, "Katze" follows the typical pattern of feminine nouns. Understanding the gender of nouns is crucial for proper sentence construction and effective communication in the German language.