How to Easily Determine the other 4800 Nouns Once you've learned the mono-syllable neuter nouns, all other nouns are easy. For starters, any monosyllable noun that isn't a neuter noun belongs to the common gender.
Next, the genders of numerous classes of things have predetermined genders:
Neuter classes of things include countries, cities, languages, religions, elements, metals and materials, cardinal directions, weights, colors, and nouns made from adjectives- (which don't end in ‘te'). Generic humans and months are treated as male things. Nouns referring to generic animals are also almost all male, except for a handful of female exceptions and those included in the 200 words. Therefore, students only need to learn the female animals. Single-syllable nouns that are made from verbs, such as the word ‘trek', as well as trees and plants, are virtually all common-gender nouns. There is no class of objects linked to the female gender.
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Finally, virtually all suffixes and prefixes of multisyllable nouns have a high correlation to one of the Dutch genders. Although there are some exceptions, a student who applies the rules will get an average of more than 90% of the genders correct.
For starters, nouns that begin with the prefixes ver-, ge-, be-, and ont-, and which are followed by just one syllable, are always neuter.
The genders of all other multisyllable nouns, whose final syllable isn't a noun, are determined by their suffixes. Amazingly, a student can quickly learn the genders of many of the nouns "better" than many native Dutch speakers! In the middle of the last century Dutch speakers from Holland morphed allmost all female and male nouns into the common gender, whereas Dutch speakers from Flanders kept them seperate.
”Tell-tail" suffixes for female nouns include: -heid, -teit, -tief, -ij, -ee. -e, -te, -de, -age, -ie, -ei, -a, -i, -ui, -in, -ing, -ice, -ijk, -iek, -eik, -eek, -eur, -eld, -uur, -nis, -is, -de, and -te (except in words beginning in ge-, in which case the gender switches to neuter if the sandwiched-syllable is a concrete object.). "Tell-tail" suffixes for male nouns include: -or, -em, -nd, -us, -el (except in words ending in -sel, or in loan words where the final syllable is accented, as in 'hotèl'), -en (but only if the word isn't a gerund), and -er (but only if the noun refers to a person or is made by adding -er to a stand-alone verb). “Tell-tail” neuter-gender suffixes include: -et, -je, -sel, -ment, -ent, -isme, -dom, -ion, -om, -ium, -gram,-as, -es, -ekt, -ect, -est, -inct, -ant, -o, -os, -on, -u, -en (in the case of gerunds), and -er (but only if not covered by any of the preceeding rules). There is an additional group of neuter suffixes with a long/strong vowels that shift the emphasis to the final syllable. These endings include: -aal, -aat, -aas, -aaf, -aam, -aan, -aus, -eel, -eem, -eet, èl, èr, -ein, -eau, -ijt, -ijn, -iet, -ier, -ies, -ief, -iem, -iel, -oom, -oor, -ood, -ool, -ooi, -oen, -oir, -air, -ain, -ail, -uit, -uus, and -uut.
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There are a couple significant exceptions to the rules:
1. A few of the 200 monosyllable nouns are homonyms that refer to a common gender thing, in addition to a neuter gender thing. This group includes the suffix '-schaap'. When '-schaap' follows a noun referring to a person(s) and translates to '-hood', as in 'broederschap' (brotherhood)- it is neuter. Otherwise the word ending in '-schap' is feminine.
2. There is a very small group of multisyllable words that don't have a characteristic prefix or suffix. Those words virtually all belong to the common gender. An example is "oorlog"-war.
Finally, a reminder that very few of the above rules hold 100% of the time. However, students who learn the rules can gradually correct their rare mistakes as they master Dutch.
Good luck!
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omaal-(meal), Afternoon tea is meal in Australia. |
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omeel-(flour or meal), Seeds ground with Aboriginal grinding stones |
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omeer-(lake), Lake Hume- in the arid interior of Australia |
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omerg-(marrow), Witchetty grubs eat out the interior of the roots of trees and have an almond-like taste. |
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omes-(knife), Crocodile Dundee's "That's not a knife, THATS a knife." |
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omerk-(mark), Internet symbol for Australia
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omoes-(pulp, mash, mush), The Platypus doesn't have teeth, but "chews" by scooping up food and gravel from the bottom of streams, and grinding the mix to a pulp with it's bill. |
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onest-(nest), Ant nest in the Mount Isa District. |
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onet-(net), Net around swimming area to protect against jellyfish. |
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oniews-(news), The surprise Japanese attack on Darwin was similar to Pearl Harbour. |
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onut-(usefulness), Aboriginal Bush Tucker (food) |
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oons-(ounce)-There are 20 ounces in an Imperal Pint, 2 Pints in a Quart, and 4 Quarts in a Gallon. |
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ooord-(place). The most spectacular of the Aboriginal Sacred Sites. |
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opaard-(horse). 'Camel Cup' in Alice Springs. (Camels are a close relative of the horse.) |
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opad-(path), Ring around Australia Highway |
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opak-(pack), A hobo's (itenerant worker's) pack was called his "swag" or "Mathilda". This is the origin of the song "Waltzing Mathilda" (Walking with a Pack). |
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opark-(park). The Archibald Fountain is the focal point of the large park complex in Downtown Sydney. |
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opart-(part), After New South Wales was named, New Holland was reduced in size to just the Western half of Australia. |
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opeil-(level or level marker), Statue commemorating the great flood of Brisbane. |
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operk-(boundaried area), Tasmania with National Parks |
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oplan-(plan), Burnum Burnum declaration of Aboriginal intent to recolonize Australia. |
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oplebs-(rabble), Australian Aboriginal Rugby match vs. the Maori Hakahaka team of New Zealand. A common saying about the two styles of Rugby played in Australia is that "Rugby League is a gentleman's game played by thugs, and Rugby Union is a thug's game played by gentlemen". |
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oplein-(plain), Australia's Wheat Bowl |
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oprul-(rubbish) and opuin-(rubbish). Tailings of gold prospectors circa 1900. |
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opunt-(point), Centerpoint of Australia near Alice Springs. |
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oraam-(frame), Goal at Rugby match. |
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orad-(wheel), The Tour Down Under |
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oras-(race), Kai Kai Aboriginal |
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oriet-(reed or straw), Didgeridoo |
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orecht-(right or justice), Governor Davey's proclamation of equality before the Law |
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orek-shelf, Old Australian bars were designed for effecient bar tending and no-frills drinking, with few frills. |
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orif-(reef), The Great Barrier Reef |
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orijk-(kingdom), Australia was a colony of England until 1901. |
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orijs-(rice), Australia is one of the worlds major rice exporters and achieves one of highest yields per acre- here with the help of a robot. |
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oroest-rust, Aboriginal painting colors were often derived from oxidized(rusted) ochre rocks... |
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oroet-(soot) or a charcoal/ochre combination could be blown by mouth to create a stencil. |
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orond-(circle or hemisphere). A map of the Southern Hemisphere circa 1650. The incomplete outline of Australia is at the top. |
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oros-(steed), Charge of the Light Horse Brigade in WWI in Palestine. The statue is in Beersheva in Israel. |
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osap-(sap), Bloodwood Eucalyptus tree |
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oschaap-(sheep), Sheep shearing competitions are similar to bull riding or cattle roping events in U.S. Rodeos. |
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oscheid-seperation, Soccer Field with two halves. (There are actually 5 types of 'Football' in Australia- Soccer, 2 types of Rugby, Australian rules football and American rules football! |
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oscherm-(screen), Mel Gibson is the preimmanent Australian actor (except he was born in America) |
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oschild-(shield), The shield and the boomerang are the main accoutrements of an Aboriginal warrior. |
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oschip-(schip), As Captain of the Endeavor, James Cook mapped out the last "unknown" parts of the planet, including the East Coast of Australia. |
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oschot-(gunshot or gun shell) One of the guns in the ring of Forts around Australia- this one on Rottnest (Rat's Nest) Island. |
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oschrift-(writing), Aboriginal 'Message Stick'. |
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oschuim-(foam) Beer laces. |
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osein-(sign), Drawings at Uluru (Ayer's Rock) |
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oslib-(ooze), oslijk-(mud/mire), and slijm-(slijm) Advertisement for Nickelodeon's yearly musical festival which includes musicians and participants getting covered in slime. |
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oslop-(dead end or cul de sac) Bicycle path on Rottnest Island, just beyond Perth- the self proclaimed "fringe" of Australia. Also the end point of the discoveries of Willem de Vlamingh (Bill from Flanders) in 1697. |
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oslot-(lock), Lock on the ultimate convict cell in Australia, built specifically for Joe Moondyne (who could break out of anywhere). He broke out of this prison too. |
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osmeer-(oil, grease) |
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osop-(soup) Soup line during the Great Depression- 1934. |
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ospek-(bacon) Australia has more pigs than people! Unfortunately all the wild pigs have diseases that make them unedible. |
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ospel-(game) Both Cricket and Australian Rules Football have round fields. |
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ospit-(pointed land mass) The northern tip of Queensland is only 11 degrees from the Equator. |
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osplit-(slit) Devils Marbles. |
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ospoor-(railway or track) The Great Southern Rail line runs 1500 miles from Adelaide to Perth. |
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ospook-(ghost) |
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ospul-(stuff, group of things such as tools) Aboriginal hunting tools. |
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osteen-(stone) "Thin Mint" Opal |
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ostel-(set) The Twelve Apostles |
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ostof-(dust) |
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ostrand-(beach) Gold Coast |
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stuk-(piece) Four thousand years ago the Henbury comet, which was rich in iron, landed in Australia. For the Aborigines, it was as if iron tools fell out of heaven. |
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ostuur-(wheel) Steering wheels in Australia are on the opposite side of the car than those in the U.S.. |
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otal-(number) During WWI 1/8th of all Australian men were killed or wounded. |
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otij-tide, Stromatolites, or "Living Rocks", that grow in the presence of tides, like these in Shark Bay, have a mushroom shape. If they are always under water, they grow as columns. |
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tuig-(tools, harness, or implement). The Airplane (Flying-tuig) Monument to the Flying Doctors of Australia. |
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ouur, Hour Australia has three time zones during the winter, and five during the summer. Picture courtesy of UCSB. |
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ovak-(pouch, compartment, or specialty) The Wallaby, like the Kangaroo, rears it's young in a pouch. |
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ovat-(cask, barrel) Water wagons used to be essential in Australia. |
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vee-(livestock) A statue of the Water Buffalo in Crocodile Dundee. |
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veen-(bog) Bog snorkelling is a competitive event in Australia. |
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oveer-(feather) The Emu is also called the New Holland Cassowary. |
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ovel-(skin), An Aborigine displays his rite-of-passagescaars |
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oveld-(field) The field of Austrailan Rules Foot ball is oblong! |
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| The Overs-(Verse)s of 'Waltzing Matilda' . Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong Under the shade of a coolibah tree, And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled: "Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me?" . Down came a jumbuck to drink at that billabong. Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee. And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag: "You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me." . Up rode the squatter, mounted on his thoroughbred. Down came the troopers, one, two, and three. "Whose is that jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag? You'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me." . Up jumped the swagman and sprang into the billabong. "You'll never take me alive!" said he And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong: "Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me?"
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ovest-(vest) |
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ovet-(Grease) Olivia Newton John is Australia's all-time female megastar. (Except she is from England.) |
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ovlak-(flat area or surface) View from the top of Mt. Uluru. |
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ovlees-(meat) Outback Steakhouse was actually started in Florida! |
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ovlies-(membrane) Box Jellyfish |
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ovlot-(fleet) The 'First Fleet' of convicts arriving in Botany Bay, 1788. (Prior to the Revolutionary War, England sent convicts to the U.S. colonies.) |
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ovoer-(feed) |
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ovolk-(people, inhabitants) The Aboriginal flag represents: Black skin, Yellow Sun, and Red Earth. |
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ovoud-(multitude or multiple) Monument to the Ancestors at the National Gallery. (National Gallery photo) |
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owaas-(haze) Bushfire smoke. |
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oweb-(web) Spider collection in the Australian Museum |
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oweer-(weather) Adelaide storm. |
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owerk-(work) Convict laborers |
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owerp-(something thrown or created) |
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owicht-(little rascal or fool) Tasmanian Devil |
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owiel-(wheel) Queens Park in Sydney |
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owier-(seaweed) Harvesting Japanese Kelp. Unfortunately the kelp is a non-native plant that is rapidly destroying native species. |
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owild-(wildlife) Road warning sign. |
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owoord-(word) Actually two words. |
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owoud-(woods) Kuranda Rainforest "skytrail" |
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owrak-(wreck) Road warning sign. |
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ozand-(sand), A bit of the billions of tons of red sand in Australia. |
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ozeil-(sail) Sydney-Hobart Race |
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ozicht-(view) Sydney Tower |
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ozog-(wake) Collins Class Submarine of the Australian Navy |
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ozout-(salt) Dry Creek Salt Works |
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ozuur-(acid) Mangoes contain a half dozen types of acids. |
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ozwaard-(sword) Aboriginal stone knife |
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ozweet-(sweat) From a land "where women glow and men plunder"-'Men at Work'. |
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Items pending Resolution
-9/2015: A relatively high number of exceptions to the "suffix rules" occurs with nouns ending in -er that were masculine, but would become neuter using the rules. These exceptions are nouns that don't refer to persons, and don't contain a stand-alone verb, yet are nonetheless masculine. When the nouns are examined on a case by case basis, there doesn't seem to be a problem with inadvertently making almost all of them neuter. Either the nouns are so obscure it doesn't make a difference what gender they are, or they are types of nouns that generally are neuter, such as nouns made from verbs. For example: akker (sounds o.k. as a neuter word because it is a unit of measure), baker (beaker), blaker, and bolster (all so obscure it doesn't matter either way), buffer (sounds o.k. as a neuter word because it is also a verb), bunker, dooier, emmer, and erker (all relatively obscure), eter (sounds o.k. as neuter word because it is a material/element), etter (obscure), filter and flater (same reasonings as buffer), foyèr (French loan word with accented final syllable so it sounds o.k. as a neuter word), ijver (same reasoning as buffer), kelder, honger, halster, hammer (same reasoning as buffer), liter (may belong to a unit-of-measurement class), halster, flater (same reasoning as buffer), etc. Calender and daalder both need to remain masculine because they belong to the classes of 'months/dates' and 'units of currencies'.
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The German equivalent of the Dutch "O Picitionary":
Unfortunately, the 'o-mnemonic' trick doesn't work as well with German genders as it does with Dutch genders. Some reasons for this are that there is an additional gender in German, fewer monosyllable neuter nouns in German, less correlation between prefixes/suffixes and genders, and less leeway in gender assignment (Dutch often allows there to be two genders for a single word).
In spite of these problems, the 'O Buch' (Book) is still a powerfull teaching aid.
Oaas, Oall, Oamt, Obad, Oband, Obett, Obild, Obein, Obier, Oblatt, Oblut, Oblock, Obrot, Ochor, ODach, Odock, Odorf, Oerz, Oei, Oeis, Ofell, Ofest, Ofett, Ofleisch, Ofort, Ogas, Ogeld, Ogift, Ogips, Oglass, Ogleid, Ogut, Ogras, Ogros, Ohaar, Ohaupt, Oholz, Ohaus, Ojahr, Ojoch, Okleid, Okorn, Okraut, Oland, Olaub, Oleck, Olicht, Olied, Oloch, Olos, Omahl, Omark, Omoor, Onest, Onetz, Oobst, Opferd, Orad, Oreich, Oruss, Oros, Oschaf, Oschiff, Oschloss, Ospiel, Ostueck, Otal, Oteig, Oteil, Oveld, Ovolk, Owerk, Ozeug.
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