German Nouns Ending in -lein | German with Laura

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Learn the key points on German nouns ending with -lein. When and how is -lein used?
What gender do German nouns ending with -lein always have (and why)?
Studying German noun endings in general is a good way to learn German smarter, not harder! The German noun ending -lein is just ONE example of many noun endings that are each associated with a specific gender, which means you don’t need to try to memorize a random ‘der die das.’
Take the guesswork out of learning the gender of German nouns by leveraging your analytical abilities as an ADULT learner of German --including studying German noun endings such as -lein!
The German noun ending -lein is an ironclad ending that has no exceptions (unlike some other noun endings). It is used (along with the ending -chen) to create noun diminutives from ANY noun. Note: the -lein is regional and -chen is standard German.

[@MacobstonProductions]

Very helpful ! Thanks :)

[@parthabaruah4352]

Thanks

[@maryellenalbin1603]

Very helpful. Does the -lein ending always cause an Umlaut vowel shift (if possible)?

[@GermanwithLaura]

Yes it does!

[@aparnak4521]

Hello, so endings -chen and -lein are interchangeable? One could use either one with any noun?

[@GermanwithLaura]

They do mean the same thing. You’ll find -chen is more common. It’s also valuable to note that as a student learning German, it is not recommended to try to form your own words with -chen/-lein. Like, you wouldn’t want to say ‘das Sandwichchen’ to indicate your small sandwich. Stick with the words that are commonly used, like das Hündchen. - Lindsay, GwL Team

[@aparnak4521]

@@GermanwithLaura Noted, thank you