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In Dutch, nouns are classified into two genders: common and neuter. Common nouns (de-woorden) refer to people and many animals, and they take the definite article "de." Examples include "de man" (the man) and "de hond" (the dog). Neuter nouns (het-woorden), on the other hand, refer to objects, concepts, and some animals, and they use the definite article "het." Examples include "het huis" (the house) and "het boek" (the book).
Understanding noun gender is crucial for proper article usage and adjective agreement in Dutch. While there are some patterns, such as many diminutives being neuter, there are also many exceptions, making it essential for learners to memorize the gender of each noun as they study.