Adjective Declension For Intermediate learners
What is Adjective Declension?
Adjective declension (Adjektivdeklination) is the system of adding endings to adjectives based on the gender, case, and number of the noun that those adjectives describe.
What an Adjective Ending Can Modify:
- Gender (masculine, feminine, neuter)
- Case (nominative, accusative, dative, genitive)
- Number (singular or plural)
Declension Type
The "Preceding Word" determines the type of declension of adjectives. There are three groups of preceding words.
Definite Article + Adjective + noun → Weak Declensions
Indefinite Article or negative Article + Adjective + noun → Mixed Declensions
No Article + Adjective + noun → Strong Declensions
Weak Declensions
If the adjective follows a definite article (der, die, das, etc.), you need to add -e or -en to the end of the adjective.
Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Nom | -e | -e | -e | -en |
Acc | -en | -e | -e | -en |
Dat | -en | -en | -en | -en |
Gen | -en | -en | -en | -en |
Nominative
Masculine | der interessante Film |
|---|---|
Feminine | die interessante Idee |
Neuter | das interessante Buch |
Plural | die interessanten Spiele |
Accusative
Masculine | den interessanten Film |
|---|---|
Feminine | die interessante Idee |
Neuter | das interessante Buch |
Plural | die interessanten Spiele |
Dative
Masculine | dem interessanten Film |
|---|---|
Feminine | der interessanten Idee |
Neuter | dem interessanten Buch |
Plural | den interessanten Spielen |
Genetive
Masculine | des interessanten Films |
|---|---|
Feminine | der interessanten Idee |
Neuter | des interessanten Buchs |
Plural | der interessanten Spiele |
Note!
Weak declension is also used for adjectives that follow one of these determiners:
dieser (this) | jeglicher (any) |
jener (that) | mancher (some) |
derselbe (the same) | alle (all) - in plural |
derjenige (that one) | solcher (such) |
jeder (every, each) | welcher (which) |
jeder junge Student
every young student
alle deutschen Touristen
all German tourists
dieser gute Mann
this good man
Mixed Declensions
You should use these endings for your adjective if it follows an indefinite article (ein, eine, kein, etc.):
Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Nom | -er | -e | -es | -en |
Acc | -en | -e | -es | -en |
Dat | -en | -en | -en | -en |
Gen | -en | -en | -en | -en |
Nominative
Masculine | ein interessanter Film | kein interessanter Film |
|---|---|---|
Feminine | eine interessante Idee | keine interessante Idee |
Neuter | ein interessantes Buch | kein interessantes Buch |
Plural | - | keine interessanten Spiele |
Accusative
Masculine | einen interessanten Film | keinen interessanten Film |
|---|---|---|
Feminine | eine interessante Idee | keine interessante Idee |
Neuter | ein interessantes Buch | kein interessantes Buch |
Plural | - | keine interessanten Spiele |
Dative
Masculine | einem interessanten Film | keinem interessanten Film |
|---|---|---|
Feminine | einer interessanten Idee | keiner interessanten Idee |
Neuter | einem interessanten Buch | keinem interessanten Buch |
Plural | - | keinen interessanten Spielen |
Genetive
Masculine | eines interessanten Films | keines interessanten Films |
|---|---|---|
Feminine | einer interessanten Idee | keiner interessanten Idee |
Neuter | eines interessanten Buchs | keines interessanten Buchs |
Plural | - | keiner interessanten Spiele |
Note!
Mixed declension is also used after possessive determiners.
Nominative
Masculine | mein neuer Hund |
|---|---|
Feminine | meine neue Wohnung |
Neuter | mein neues Auto |
Plural | meine neuen Bücher |
Accusative
Masculine | meinen neuen Hund |
|---|---|
Feminine | meine neue Wohnung |
Neuter | mein neues Auto |
Plural | meine neuen Bücher |
Dative
Masculine | meinem neuen Hund |
|---|---|
Feminine | meiner neuen Wohnung |
Neuter | meinem neuen Auto |
Plural | meinen neuen Büchern |
Genitive
Masculine | meines neuen Hundes |
|---|---|
Feminine | meiner neuen Wohnung |
Neuter | meines neuen Autos |
Plural | meiner neuen Bücher |
Strong Declensions
When there is no article before the adjective, you need to use the endings mentioned below. Since there is no article to provide certain information about the noun, the adjective provides that grammatical information instead.
Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Nom | -er | -e | -es | -e |
Acc | -en | -e | -es | -e |
Dat | -em | -er | -em | -en |
Gen | -en | -er | -en | -er |
Nominative
Masculine | interessanter Inhalt |
|---|---|
Feminine | interessante Information |
Neuter | interessantes Material |
Plural | interessante Bücher |
Accusative
Masculine | interessanten Inhalt |
|---|---|
Feminine | interessante Information |
Neuter | interessantes Material |
Plural | interessante Bücher |
Dative
Masculine | interessantem Inhalt |
|---|---|
Feminine | interessanter Information |
Neuter | interessantem Material |
Plural | interessanten Büchern |
Genetive
Masculine | interessanten Inhalts |
|---|---|
Feminine | interessanter Information |
Neuter | interessanten Materials |
Plural | interessanter Bücher |
Special Cases
If the adjective ends in -el, the -e will be removed from the -el when the adjective ending is added.
der dunkle Wald
the dark forest
Not: dunkeler
ein dunkler Wald
a dark forest
Not: dunkeler
mit einem dunklen Wald
with a dark forest
Not: dunkelen
Predicate Adjectives
Remember, you can only add the adjective endings when the adjective comes before the noun. If the adjective comes after a noun (predicate adjectives), there is no need to change it.
Das ist der große Hund.
That is the big dog.
Der Hund ist groß.
The dog is big.
Ich sehe die schöne Blume.
I see the beautiful flower.
Die Blume wird schön.
The flower is becoming beautiful.
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