How to decline adjective endings (Adjektivdeklination)

When an adjective comes before a noun to modify its meaning, the adjective must be declined (Adjektivdeklination). The ending of the adjective depends on three factors: the gender of the noun, the case (Nominativ, Akkusativ, Dativ, Genitiv), and the type of article preceding the noun. Today's article will introduce the ways to decline adjective endings in German.

Let's get started!!!

1. Adjective declension with the definite article (bestimmter Artikel): der, die, das, den, dem,....

Example: Der alte Computer funktioniert nicht.

(The old computer is not working.)

→ The adjective alt modifies the noun Computer. alt comes after the definite article der (maskulin) and is in the Nominativ. Therefore, consulting the table, we must add the ending -e to the adjective alt: Der alte Computer.!!! We can remember how to decline adjective endings with the definite article by the following rule: Adjectives modifying nouns in the Dativ and Genitiv, masculine nouns in the Akkusativ, and plural nouns in all 4 cases all take the ending -en; the rest take the ending -e.

!!! Some adjectives cannot be declined:

• In phrases such as: das super Konzept, die prima Idee

• Adjectives indicating the colors lila (purple), rosa (pink)

!!! Names of cities and some regions take the ending -er and are also capitalized: der Hamburger Hafen, Schweizer Käse,....

1. Adjective declension with the indefinite article (unbestimmter Artikel): ein, eine, einem, einen, kein, mein, dein,.....

Example: Paul öffnet sein großes Fenster.

(Paul opens his big window.)→ groß is declined according to the indefinite article, neuter gender (neutral) in the Akkusativ as sein großes Fenster.

!!! We can remember how to decline adjective endings with the indefinite article by the following rule: Adjectives modifying nouns in the Dativ and Genitiv, masculine nouns in the Akkusativ, and plural nouns in all 4 cases all take the ending -en; the remaining cases are declined according to the gender of the noun.

1. Adjective endings with no article (ohne Artikel)

Example: Man trägt bunte Hüte.

(They are wearing colorful hats.)

→ bunt is declined according to the plural noun, in the Akkusativ, with no article: bunte Hüte.!!! We can memorize the declension endings of adjectives without an article by the following rule: the adjective endings are declined similarly to the endings of the definite article in each case, except that the Genitiv masculine and neuter are declined as -en.