Every German noun is masculine, feminine or neuter, marked by der, die or das - and the gender is grammatical, not logical, which is why Mädchen (girl) is das. Every noun is capitalised, and the gender governs the article and the adjective, so it has to be learnt with the word.
Examples
- Das Brot ist noch warm.
- The bread is still warm.
- Die Milch ist im Kühlschrank.
- The milk is in the fridge.
- Der Kaffee ist zu heiß.
- The coffee is too hot.
The mistake to avoid
There is no reliable rule - store the article as part of the noun: not Brot but das Brot.
Where this fits in
Food & ordering, German A1: Order at a café or restaurant, ask for the bill, and talk about basic food and drink.