German nouns with the ending “-tum”
When you learn German, you'll find out that nouns have different types. This article is about German nouns that end in -tum.
The 4 types of nouns with “-tum”
Nouns with the -tum ending in German are usually neuter (das), but some can be masculine (der). The suffix “tum” is used to create new nouns from existing nouns, verbs, or adjectives. It's a common feature in the German language, appearing in various forms and special cases. Generally, there are four main types of words ending in "-tum", each representing different things or categories. The suffix "-tum" in German is similar to the "-dom" suffix in English.
Recommended study materials on the topic:
A-Grammar: Practice German grammar (incl. answers)
German self-study book for A1-B1 (incl. answers)
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1. Nouns that describe a group of people
In the first category of nouns, the suffix "-tum" is directly attached to a word to refer to an entire group. These nouns are typically neuter, so they take the article "das". In their plural form, the ending "-tum" changes to "-tümer".
For example:
der Christ - das Christentum → the Christian - Christianity
der Ritter - das Rittertum → the knight - the knighthood
der Bürger - das Bürgertum → the citizen - the bourgeoisie
Good to know: The "-tum" suffix in German has a similar function to the "-dom" suffix in English.
2. Nouns that describe an area
Words with the "-tum" suffix in this category represent the area or territory associated with a specific person, an example that held particular significance historically. These nouns are generally neuter and therefore use the article "das"” In their plural forms, the ending "-tum" changes to "-tümer."
For example:
der König - das Königtum → the king - the kingship
der Kaiser - das Kaisertum → the Emperor - the Empire
der Bischof - das Bischoftum → the bishop - the bishopric
3. Nouns that express a state
The suffix "-tum" can also transform verbs and adjectives into nouns, often resulting in a term that describes a state, behavior, or characteristic. The gender of these nouns can be either "das" (neuter) or "der" (masculine), requiring you to remember the specific gender for each noun. Despite the gender variation, the plural form consistently adopts the ending "-tümer."
For example:
reich - der Reichtum → rich - the wealth
sich irren - der Irrtum → to be wrong - the mistake / error
heilig - das Heiligtum → holy - the sanctuary
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4. Latin based nouns with the ending “-tum”
The final category of nouns ending in "-tum" always originates from Latin. These are invariably neuter nouns, taking the article "das". Unlike other nouns where a suffix is typically added for the plural form, in this case, the ending "-tum" is replaced with "-ten" to denote the plural.
For example:
das Zentrum - die Zentren → the center
das Museum - die Museen → the museum
das Kriterium - die Kriterien → the criteria
Tip: Remember, when making Latin-based nouns with the "-tum" ending plural, you replace "-tum" with "-ten"!
Conclusion
I hope this article has helped you grasp the concept of German nouns ending in "-tum". Don't forget to explore how to use German nouns with the "-ung" ending as well.
Bis bald!
Steffie
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