Brottin

ROADMAP · B1 · Understand familiar topics and express personal opinions

Adjektivdeklination nach bestimmtem Artikel (alle Fälle)

B1Weak adjective endings
Ich sehe den alten Mann.

I see the old man.

EXPLANATION

After a definite article, the adjective is weak: mostly -en. Only five forms use -e — the nominative singular forms and the feminine/neuter accusative singular.

With the definite article and with dieser, jener, jeder, welcher, mancher and alle in the plural, the adjective normally gets the weak ending -en. The main exceptions are the five forms with -e: nominative singular for all genders and accusative singular feminine and neuter. In every genitive form, the adjective also takes -en.

STRUCTURE

der / die / das + Adjektiv + Nomen in Nominativ

In nominative singular, all three genders take -e.

  • Der kleine Junge wartet.The little boy is waiting.
  • Die kleine Lampe ist kaputt.The small lamp is broken.
  • Das kleine Kind schläft.The small child is sleeping.
Akkusativ + der / die / das + Adjektiv + Nomen

Only feminine and neuter accusative singular use -e; masculine accusative uses -en.

  • Ich sehe den alten Mann.I see the old man.
  • Ich kaufe die rote Jacke.I buy the red jacket.
  • Wir sehen das neue Auto.We see the new car.
Dative / Genitive + der form + Adjektiv + Nomen

After the definite article, Dative and the whole Genitive normally take -en.

  • Mit dem freundlichen Kollegen spreche ich.I am talking with the friendly colleague.
  • Ich helfe der jungen Frau.I help the young woman.
  • Das Dach des alten Hauses ist rot.The roof of the old house is red.

OVERVIEW

Weak adjective declension after definite articles

CaseMasculineFeminineNeuterPlural
Nominativeder alte Manndie alte Fraudas alte Kinddie alten Leute
Accusativeden alten Manndie alte Fraudas alte Kinddie alten Leute
Dativedem alten Mannder alten Fraudem alten Kindden alten Leuten
Genitivedes alten Mannesder alten Fraudes alten Kindesder alten Leute

COMMON MISTAKES

  • Der kleinen Hund schläft.

    Der kleine Hund schläft.

    In nominative masculine singular, the adjective takes -e, not -en.

  • Ich kaufe die roten Tasche.

    Ich kaufe die rote Tasche.

    After die in accusative feminine, the adjective ends in -e.

  • Mit dem neuer Kollegen spreche ich.

    Mit dem neuen Kollegen spreche ich.

    In dative after the definite article, the adjective takes -en.

  • Das Fenster des alte Hauses ist offen.

    Das Fenster des alten Hauses ist offen.

    The genitive also uses the weak ending -en here. Learners often copy the nominative form alte, but genitive does not take it.

USAGE NOTES

  • The weak pattern appears after der/die/das and after dieser, jener, jeder, welcher, mancher; with alle in the plural, it also behaves weakly.
  • Do not confuse adjective endings with noun endings. In des alten Hauses, the adjective is alten, but the noun gets its own Genitiv ending -s/-es.
  • The article tells you almost everything. If the article already shows case and gender clearly, the adjective usually ends in -en.
  • This lesson covers only the weak declension. It does not include adjective endings without an article or after an indefinite article.

RELATED

Genitiv: Artikel, Nomen, NamenGenitive with articles and namesB1N-DeklinationN-declensionB1Adjektivdeklination nach unbestimmtem Artikel und ohne ArtikelAdjective endings: with or without articleB1Adjektivdeklination nach bestimmtem Artikel — EinführungAdjective endings after theA2
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