Der, die, das

Hook

(everybody shouts the articles)

1. DER, DIE, DAS – that’s the beat, that’s the bass, / der, die, das = the (masculine, feminine, neuter)
2. DER, DIE, DAS – put the article in place. / der Artikel = the article
3. Blue is DER, red is DIE, green is DAS, / the app’s colours: blue = der, red = die, green = das
4. say it with the noun and the word will last.

Verse 1: waking up

1. DIE Uhr on the wall is ticking, it’s seven, / die Uhr = the clock
2. DIE Sonne comes up and DER Himmel’s blue heaven. / die Sonne = the sun · der Himmel = the sky
3. DAS Fenster is open, I feel the cold air, / das Fenster = the window
4. DAS Bett is so warm, but I can’t stay there. / das Bett = the bed
5. DIE Lampe still on from reading last night, / die Lampe = the lamp
6. DAS Buch on the floor, DIE Seite in sight. / das Buch = the book · die Seite = the page
7. I grab DER Schlüssel, I grab DIE Tasche, / der Schlüssel = the key · die Tasche = the bag
8. pat DER Hund on the head – he’s a good little Lasche. / der Hund = the dog
9. DIE Katze says nothing, she just looks mean, / die Katze = the cat
10. I open DIE Tür and step on the scene. / die Tür = the door

Verse 2: breakfast with the family

1. In DIE Küche DER Tisch is set for ten, / die Küche = the kitchen · der Tisch = the table
2. DER Stuhl is wobbly, I fix it again. / der Stuhl = the chair
3. DER Vater makes coffee, DIE Mutter cuts DAS Brot, / der Vater = the father · die Mutter = the mother · das Brot = the bread
4. DER Apfel for me, DIE Banane – oh no, it’s gone, it’s not! / der Apfel = the apple · die Banane = the banana
5. DER Hunger is big and DER Durst is real, / der Hunger = hunger · der Durst = thirst
6. DER Bruder, DIE Schwester fight over the meal. / der Bruder = the brother · die Schwester = the sister
7. DER Ball rolls in, DER Junge did that, / der Ball = the ball · der Junge = the boy
8. DAS Mädchen laughs loud, DAS Kind cries „Wo ist DIE Katz’?“ / das Mädchen = the girl · das Kind = the child · Wo ist die Katze? = where is the cat?
9. DER Opa, DIE Oma are sitting right there, / der Opa = grandpa · die Oma = grandma
10. DER Großvater jokes and DIE Großmutter stares. / der Großvater = the grandfather · die Großmutter = the grandmother
11. DIE Eltern say „Ruhe!“, DIE Geschwister go on, / die Eltern = the parents · Ruhe! = quiet! · die Geschwister = the siblings
12. DER Sohn gets a hug, DIE Tochter gets one. / der Sohn = the son · die Tochter = the daughter
13. DAS Jahr is still young, but DIE Zeit runs away, / das Jahr = the year · die Zeit = time
14. grab DER Schlüssel, we’re going – it’s a big day. / der Schlüssel = the key

Hook

(everybody shouts the articles)

1. DER, DIE, DAS – that’s the beat, that’s the bass, / der, die, das = the (masculine, feminine, neuter)
2. DER, DIE, DAS – put the article in place. / der Artikel = the article
3. Blue is DER, red is DIE, green is DAS, / the app’s colours: blue = der, red = die, green = das
4. say it with the noun and the word will last.

Verse 3: into the city

1. DER Bus comes late, DER Bahnhof is packed, / der Bus = the bus · der Bahnhof = the station
2. DIE Stadt has DIE Million people, that’s a fact. / die Stadt = the city · die Million = the million
3. Every DER Einwohner walks like they’re late, / der Einwohner = the inhabitant
4. DER Kilometer is long, but DER Park is great. / der Kilometer = the kilometre · der Park = the park
5. DER Platz by the fountain, the pigeons attack, / der Platz = the square
6. DER Supermarkt next, DER Verkäufer says „Was darf’s sein, mein Schatz?“ / der Supermarkt = the supermarket · der Verkäufer = the shop assistant · Was darf’s sein, mein Schatz? = what’ll it be, sweetheart?
7. DER Euro is gone, DIE Miete is due, / der Euro = the euro · die Miete = the rent
8. DIE Angst comes a little, then it passes through. / die Angst = fear
9. DAS Auto zooms past, DER Mann at the wheel, / das Auto = the car · der Mann = the man
10. DIE Frau on the bike shouts „Hey! Ist das real?“ / die Frau = the woman · Ist das real? = is that real?
11. DIE Zahl on the ticket, DIE Nummer on the door, / die Zahl = the number (figure) · die Nummer = the number (ID)
12. DAS Haus with DER Nachbar who waves from the floor. / das Haus = the house · der Nachbar = the neighbour

Verse 4: school, uni, office

1. DIE Schule at nine, DIE Uni at ten, / die Schule = the school · die Uni = the university
2. DAS Büro at twelve – I’m back here again. / das Büro = the office
3. DER Lehrer writes DAS Alphabet, letter by letter, / der Lehrer = the teacher · das Alphabet = the alphabet
4. DER Buchstabe „Ü“ – DER Umlaut makes it better. / der Buchstabe = the letter · der Umlaut = the umlaut
5. DER Schüler is sleepy, DER Student is late, / der Schüler = the pupil · der Student = the student
6. DER Computer freezes, man, DIE Zeit can’t wait. / der Computer = the computer · die Zeit = time
7. Write DER Vorname Kim, DER Nachname Schmidt, / der Vorname = the first name · der Nachname = the surname
8. DER Kollege says „Fertig?“ – I say „Noch nicht.“ / der Kollege = the colleague · Fertig? = done? · Noch nicht = not yet

Hook

(everybody shouts the articles)

1. DER, DIE, DAS – that’s the beat, that’s the bass, / der, die, das = the (masculine, feminine, neuter)
2. DER, DIE, DAS – put the article in place. / der Artikel = the article
3. Blue is DER, red is DIE, green is DAS, / the app’s colours: blue = der, red = die, green = das
4. say it with the noun and the word will last.

Verse 5: people of Berlin

1. DER Arzt says „Gesund!“, so I’m good to go, / der Arzt = the doctor · Gesund! = healthy!
2. DER Koch in the kitchen, DER Kellner says „Hallo“. / der Koch = the cook · der Kellner = the waiter
3. DER Journalist asks me where I come from, / der Journalist = the journalist
4. DER Amerikaner next to me says “Hey, I’m from… home.” / der Amerikaner = the American
5. DIE Schweiz, DIE Türkei, DIE USA keep DIE, / die Schweiz = Switzerland · die Türkei = Turkey · die USA = the USA
6. most countries have none – but these three, you see.
7. DER Freund calls me up, DIE Freundin is here, / der Freund = the (male) friend · die Freundin = the (female) friend
8. we sit in DER Park till the stars appear. / der Park = the park

Verse 6: evening

1. DAS Kino is dark and DER Film is long, / das Kino = the cinema · der Film = the film
2. DAS Auto drives home, the radio’s on, this song. / das Auto = the car
3. DAS Fenster closed, DIE Lampe out, DAS Bett is near, / das Fenster = the window · die Lampe = the lamp · das Bett = the bed
4. DER, DIE, DAS – Kim’s day ends here. / der, die, das = the, the, the

Outro

(call and response, the crowd answers)

1. Mann? – DER! Frau? – DIE! Kind? – DAS! / man? – der! woman? – die! child? – das!
2. Hund? – DER! Katze? – DIE! Haus? – DAS! / dog? – der! cat? – die! house? – das!
3. Vater? – DER! Mutter? – DIE! Mädchen? – DAS! / father? – der! mother? – die! girl? – das!
4. DER, DIE, DAS – now you’ve got it fast.