Fruit and Vegetables Vocabulary (Obst und Gemüse): Words and Articles
| Word (Artikel + Nomen) | Translation |
|---|---|
| DER Apfel | Apple |
| DIE Banane | Banana |
| DIE Birne | Pear |
| DIE Orange | Orange |
| DIE Zitrone | Lemon |
| DIE Erdbeere | Strawberry |
| DIE Kirsche | Cherry |
| DER Pfirsich | Peach |
| DIE Wassermelone | Watermelon |
| DIE Traube | Grape |
| DIE Ananas | Pineapple |
| DIE Pflaume | Plum |
| DIE Himbeere | Raspberry |
| DIE Tomate | Tomato |
| DIE Gurke | Cucumber |
| DIE Kartoffel | Potato |
| DIE Karotte | Carrot |
| DIE Zwiebel | Onion |
| DIE Paprika | Bell pepper |
| DER Salat | Lettuce / Salad |
| DER Kürbis | Pumpkin |
| DER Knoblauch | Garlic |
| DER Brokkoli | Broccoli |
| DER Blumenkohl | Cauliflower |
| DER Kohl | Cabbage |
| DER Mais | Corn |
| DER Pilz | Mushroom |
| DER Spargel | Asparagus |
| DIE Avocado | Avocado |
| DAS Radieschen | Radish |
| DAS Obst | Fruit |
| DAS Gemüse | Vegetables |
Fruit Rules: Mostly Feminine, except for the Apple
The topic “Fruit and Vegetables” (Obst und Gemüse) is one of the more pleasant topics for German learners because there are some actual patterns to follow.
The Good News: Most fruits (especially those ending in -e) are feminine (Die). Die Banane, die Birne, die Zitrone, die Erdbeere. However, there is one major traitor: the Apple. It is masculine: der Apfel. The Peach (der Pfirsich) also joins the masculine club.
The Tricky Part: Vegetables are a mixed bag. While Tomato and Cucumber are feminine (die Tomate, die Gurke), Lettuce and Cabbage are masculine (der Salat, der Kohl). Neutral nouns are rare here, mostly found in collective terms (das Obst, das Gemüse) or words with the diminutive suffix “-chen”, like das Radieschen (the little radish).
How does the trainer help you memorize exceptions?
Since rules only take you so far, our trainer uses color memory:
- Der (Masculine) — blue.
- Die (Feminine) — pink.
- Das (Neuter) — yellow.