Common Mistakes in German Nominalisierung (And How to Avoid Them)

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Nominalization is a powerful tool, but it’s also a “trap” for many intermediate learners. Turning a verb into a noun isn’t just about capitalization; it changes the entire grammar of your sentence.

PlayStore - Nominalisierung
AppStore - Nominalisierung

If you want to sound professional and avoid “Denglish” (English-style German), you need to watch out for these four common mistakes. Let’s see how to fix them!

1. Using the Wrong Gender (Der, Die, or Das?)

The biggest headache in Nominalisierung is knowing the gender of your new noun. If you get the gender wrong, your prepositions and adjectives will also be wrong.

  • The Mistake: Guessing the gender of a nominalized verb.
  • The Rule: * Infinitive nouns (Verb used as a noun) are ALWAYS Neuter (Das).* Essen -> Das Essen* Rauchen -> Das Rauchen
    • Verbs ending in -ung are ALWAYS Feminine (Die).
      • Planen -> Die Planung
    • Root-verb nouns (shortened verbs) are USUALLY Masculine (Der).
      • Besuchen -> Der Besuch

2. Forgetting the Preposition Change

In a Dass-Satz, you often don’t need a preposition. But when you use Nominalisierung, the noun almost always requires one.

  • The Mistake: Using the noun without its required preposition.
  • Wrong: “Ich freue mich dein Besuch.”
  • Correct: “Ich freue mich über deinen Besuch.”

Pro Tip: Many nominalized phrases come from verbs with fixed prepositions (Verben mit Präpositionen). If you know warten auf, then you know it’s das Warten auf…

3. The “Genitiv” Trap

When you turn a subject into a noun phrase, the second noun usually moves into the Genitiv case. Many students forget to add that crucial -s or change the article to des/der.

  • The Mistake: Keeping the original case in a nominal phrase.
  • Wrong: “Die Eröffnung die Schule…”
  • Correct: “Die Eröffnung der Schule…” (Feminine Genitiv)
  • Correct: “Die Ankunft des Zuges…” (Masculine Genitiv)

4. “Nominal-Stil” Overload (Sounding Like a Robot)

While Nominalisierung is great for exams and offices, using it too much makes your German sound cold, heavy, and “robotic.” This is called Behördendeutsch (bureaucratic German).

  • The Mistake: Nominalizing every single sentence in a casual conversation.
  • Casual Rule: Use verbs for people and feelings.
  • Professional Rule: Use nouns for facts, processes, and formal reports.
Too Heavy (Avoid in Chat)Natural & Better
Die Durchführung der Reinigung erfolgt morgen.Wir putzen morgen.
Ich habe die Absicht der Durchführung eines Telefonats.Ich möchte telefonieren.

💡 Quick Checklist to Avoid Errors

  1. Check the Gender: Is it -ung (Die) or an infinitive (Das)?
  2. Add the Preposition: Does my new noun need an über, von, vor, or bei?
  3. Use Genitiv: Did I change the second article to des or der?
  4. Read it Aloud: Does it sound like a professional report or a boring manual?

Final Thoughts

Avoiding these mistakes is what separates a B1 learner from a B2 master. Start by focusing on the gender rules, and the rest will slowly fall into place.

Next Step: Ready to put your knowledge to the test? Check out our practice guide: Nominalisierung Examples in German (With Exercises) to see if you can spot the errors yourself!