Brottin

TOPIC · Adjectives (Adjektive)

How to decline adjective endings (Adjektivdeklination)

A2B1

After this lesson you can choose the correct German adjective endings with definite articles, indefinite articles and without articles in common sentences.

In this lesson you learn how German adjectives change their ending when they stand in front of a noun: this is called Adjektivdeklination. The ending depends on gender (maskulin, feminin, neutral), number (singular/plural), case (Nominativ, Akkusativ, Dativ, Genitiv) and on the determiner (article, possessive, etc.).

1Basic idea: who carries which ending?

In German, articles often show the grammatical information. The adjective just completes it.

  • If there is a strong determiner (for example kein, mein, dieser), the adjective normally has weak endings.
  • If there is no article, the adjective itself takes strong endings.

Here we focus on three main patterns:

  1. with definite article: der/die/das (weak declension)
  2. with indefinite article: ein/eine (mixed declension)
  3. without article (strong declension)

2With definite article: der, die, das

Here the article already shows the case, so the adjective mostly gets -e or -en.

Casemasculinefeminineneuterplural
Nominativder große Manndie große Fraudas große Kinddie großen Kinder
Akkusativden großen Manndie große Fraudas große Kinddie großen Kinder
Dativdem großen Mannder großen Fraudem großen Kindden großen Kindern
Genitivdes großen Mannesder großen Fraudes großen Kindesder großen Kinder

Examples:

  • Der schnelle Hund läuft im Park. (The fast dog is running in the park.) – "schnelle": Nominativ, masculine, with der → ending -e.
  • Ich sehe den schnellen Hund. (I see the fast dog.) – Akkusativ, masculine, with den → ending -en.

Remember:

  • With a definite article the adjective has -en in all forms, except in Nominativ singular (all genders) and Akkusativ singular feminine/neuter (there it has -e).

3With indefinite article: ein, eine (mixed declension)

The indefinite article does not show all forms clearly (for example ein can be Nominativ masculine or neuter). Therefore the adjective sometimes needs strong endings.

Casemasculinefeminineneuterplural
Nominativein großer Manneine große Frauein großes Kindkeine großen Kinder
Akkusativeinen großen Manneine große Frauein großes Kindkeine großen Kinder
Dativeinem großen Manneiner großen Fraueinem großen Kindkeinen großen Kindern
Genitiveines großen Manneseiner großen Fraueines großen Kindeskeiner großen Kinder

Examples:

  • Sie hat ein schönes Kleid gekauft. (She bought a beautiful dress.) – "schönes": Akkusativ, neuter, with ein → ending -es.
  • Er ist ein guter Lehrer. (He is a good teacher.) – "guter": Nominativ, masculine, with ein → ending -er.

Remember:

  • When ein/eine/kein/mein has no ending (for example ein), the adjective uses the strong endings -er/-es.
  • In the other positions the adjective usually has -en.

4Without article (strong declension)

Without an article the adjective itself shows case, gender and number.

Casemasculinefeminineneuterplural
Nominativgroßer Manngroße Fraugroßes Kindgroße Kinder
Akkusativgroßen Manngroße Fraugroßes Kindgroße Kinder
Dativgroßem Manngroßer Fraugroßem Kindgroßen Kindern
Genitivgroßen Mannesgroßer Fraugroßen Kindesgroßer Kinder

Examples:

  • Kinder essen grüne Äpfel. (Children eat green apples.) – "grüne": Akkusativ plural → ending -e.
  • Altmodische Leute mögen neue Musik nicht. (Old-fashioned people do not like new music.) – "altmodische", "neue": Nominativ plural → ending -e.

Remember:

  • Without an article you must know especially: -er (Nom. masc.), -es (Nom./Akk. neut.), -em (Dativ masc./neut.), -en (Akk. masc., Dativ/Genitiv masc./neut., Dativ plural), and -e in many Nominativ/Akkusativ forms.

5Practice tips

  1. Ask for the case: Wer/was? → Nominativ, wen/was? → Akkusativ, wem? → Dativ, wessen? → Genitiv.
  2. Look at the determiner: der/die/das → mostly weak endings (-e/-en); ein/kein/mein → mixed; no article → strong endings.
  3. Learn fixed patterns:
    • der große Mann, ein großer Mann, großer Mann
    • die schöne Stadt, eine schöne Stadt, schöne Stadt

With a lot of repetition, Adjektivdeklination will feel natural and automatic.