A2 Adjectives & Adverbs 17 min read Hard

German Adjective Endings: Dressing Up Nouns (Adjektivdeklination)

Always add an ending to adjectives placed directly before a noun to match gender, case, and article type.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

German adjectives change their endings based on the noun's gender, case, and the article preceding them.

  • If there is a definite article (der/die/das), use weak endings (-e or -en).
  • If there is no article, use strong endings (matching the definite article).
  • If there is an indefinite article (ein/eine), use mixed endings.
Article + Adjective-Ending + Noun

Overview

When you describe nouns in German, adjectives frequently take on different endings. This phenomenon is known as Adjektivdeklination (adjective declension). Unlike English, where an adjective like 'red' remains constant in 'the red car' or 'the car is red', German adjectives often change their form to provide additional grammatical information.

These endings are crucial for indicating the noun's gender, number, and grammatical case within a sentence.

Adjectives in German can appear in two primary positions. They are either predicative, meaning they follow a linking verb like sein (to be) or werden (to become), or attributive, meaning they directly precede and describe a noun. When an adjective is predicative, it remains unchanged: Das Auto ist rot (The car is red).

However, when an adjective is attributive – positioned directly before a noun and usually after an article or similar determiner – it requires a specific ending: Das rote Auto (The red car). This process ensures grammatical coherence and clarity, preventing misunderstandings about which noun is being described.

This system of endings, while initially complex, serves a fundamental linguistic purpose in German: redundancy of grammatical information. German grammar frequently "doubles up" on signals for gender, case, and number. If the article preceding the noun already provides clear signals for these categories, the adjective takes a weaker, more simplified ending.

If the article is less specific or absent, the adjective steps in to carry more of this essential grammatical load. Mastering these endings allows you to speak and write German with precision and sound like a native speaker.

How This Grammar Works

The German adjective ending system operates on a principle of informational signals. Every noun in German has an inherent gender (der, die, das) and exists within a specific grammatical case (Nominative, Accusative, Dative, Genitive), and number (singular, plural). The job of adjective endings is to reinforce or clarify these grammatical properties, especially when they aren't explicitly marked by an accompanying article or determiner.
Consider the interplay between the article and the adjective as a team effort to convey the noun's grammatical identity. German grammar values clear signaling of case, gender, and number. If the article (the "captain" of the noun phrase) already provides a strong, unambiguous signal for these features, the adjective's role is lighter, and it takes a simpler ending – this is known as weak declension.
For example, in der neue Computer, the definite article der clearly marks masculine nominative, so the adjective neu takes a standard -e ending.
Conversely, if the article provides a "weak" or ambiguous signal, or if no article is present at all, the adjective must step up to provide the necessary grammatical information. This results in more pronounced, "stronger" endings on the adjective. For instance, ein in ein Computer is ambiguous; it could be nominative or accusative masculine.
Therefore, the adjective must clarify: ein neuer Computer (nominative masculine) versus einen neuen Computer (accusative masculine). This is the basis for mixed and strong declension.
Understanding this "division of labor" between articles and adjectives is key. The adjective endings are not arbitrary; they complete the grammatical picture of the noun phrase. They ensure that even if you only hear part of a sentence, the core grammatical functions remain clear.
This systemic redundancy helps prevent misinterpretations and solidifies the sentence structure. It's a hallmark of German's highly inflected nature.

Formation Pattern

1
To correctly apply adjective endings, you must systematically determine three key pieces of information about the noun phrase:
2
Identify the Noun's Gender and Number: Is it masculine (der), feminine (die), neuter (das), or plural?
3
Determine the Grammatical Case: Is the noun in the Nominative (subject), Accusative (direct object), Dative (indirect object), or Genitive (possession)?
4
Check the Article Type: Does the adjective follow a definite article (or a similar "der-word"), an indefinite article (or a possessive pronoun/kein), or is there no article at all?
5
Based on the article type, German adjective declension falls into three main categories: Weak Declension, Mixed Declension, and Strong Declension.
6
Weak Declension (Schwache Deklination)
7
This declension is used when the preceding article or determiner already clearly indicates the noun's gender, number, and case. This typically occurs after definite articles (der, die, das) and similar "der-words" (e.g., dieser - this, jeder - every, alle - all, manche - some, solche - such, welche - which). Because the article provides strong, unambiguous signals, the adjective takes simpler, weaker endings: predominantly -e or -en.
8
Rule of Thumb:
9
Nominative Singular (all genders): Adjective ending is always -e.
10
Accusative Singular (feminine, neuter): Adjective ending is always -e.
11
All other cases (masculine accusative, all dative, all genitive, all plural): Adjective ending is always -en.
12
| Case | Masculine (der) | Feminine (die) | Neuter (das) | Plural (die(pl)) |
13
| :------------- | :--------------------- | :------------------- | :------------------- | :-------------------- |
14
| Nominative | der neue Computer | die neue Tasche | das neue Buch | die neuen Bücher |
15
| Accusative | den neuen Computer | die neue Tasche | das neue Buch | die neuen Bücher |
16
| Dative | dem neuen Computer | der neuen Tasche | dem neuen Buch | den neuen Büchern |
17
| Genitive | des neuen Computers | der neuen Tasche | des neuen Buches | der neuen Bücher |
18
Examples:
19
Der alte Mann liest die Zeitung. (The old man reads the newspaper.) - Here, der clearly signals masculine nominative, so alt takes the simple -e ending.
20
Ich sehe das große Haus. (I see the big house.) - das unequivocally marks neuter accusative, thus groß takes -e.
21
Wir fahren mit den neuen Autos. (We drive with the new cars.) - den is a strong signal for dative plural, so neu takes -en.
22
Mixed Declension (Gemischte Deklination)
23
This declension applies after indefinite articles (ein, eine, ein), possessive pronouns (mein, dein, sein, ihr, unser, euer, Ihr), and kein (no/not any). These determiners are considered "weak" because they do not always provide a clear, distinct signal for case and gender in the nominative and accusative singular. For example, ein can precede a nominative masculine or a nominative neuter noun, making its signal ambiguous.
24
In these ambiguous situations, the adjective "fills in" the missing strong signal. Consequently, the adjective takes the ending that the definite article would have carried. In all other cases (Dative, Genitive, and all Plural forms), where the determiner already provides a strong signal, the adjective takes the weaker -en ending.
25
Rule of Thumb:
26
In Nominative singular and Accusative singular neuter/feminine, the adjective takes the strong ending (the one the definite article would have shown).
27
In all other cases (Accusative masculine, all Dative, all Genitive, and all Plural forms), the adjective takes the weak -en ending.
28
| Case | Masculine (ein) | Feminine (eine) | Neuter (ein) | Plural (meine(pl)) |
29
| :------------- | :----------------------- | :--------------------- | :------------------- | :--------------------- |
30
| Nominative | ein neuer Computer | eine neue Tasche | ein neues Buch | meine neuen Bücher |
31
| Accusative | einen neuen Computer | eine neue Tasche | ein neues Buch | meine neuen Bücher |
32
| Dative | einem neuen Computer | einer neuen Tasche | einem neuen Buch | meinen neuen Büchern |
33
| Genitive | eines neuen Computers | einer neuen Tasche | eines neuen Buches | meiner neuen Bücher |
34
Examples:
35
Ich habe einen schönen Hund. (I have a beautiful dog.) - Hund is masculine accusative. einen provides the strong signal for accusative, so schön takes the weak -en ending.
36
Das ist mein altes Auto. (That is my old car.) - Auto is neuter nominative. mein is ambiguous here, so alt takes the strong -es ending to signal neuter nominative.
37
Mit einer kleinen Änderung wird es besser. (With a small change it will be better.) - Änderung is feminine dative. einer provides a strong signal, so klein takes -en.
38
Strong Declension (Starke Deklination)
39
This declension is used when there is no article or determiner preceding the adjective. In this scenario, the adjective alone must carry all the grammatical information about the noun's case, gender, and number. Consequently, the adjective adopts the "strong" endings that the definite article normally would have had for that specific noun and context.
40
Rule of Thumb: The adjective takes the ending of the corresponding definite article (der, die, das) for that specific case, gender, and number. Think of it as the adjective stepping in to be the primary signal-bearer.
41
| Case | Masculine ({m}) | Feminine ({f}) | Neuter ({n}) | Plural ({pl}) |
42
| :------------- | :------------------ | :------------------ | :----------------- | :------------------ |
43
| Nominative | schöner Tag | schöne Musik | schönes Wetter | schöne Blumen |
44
| Accusative | schönen Tag | schöne Musik | schönes Wetter | schöne Blumen |
45
| Dative | schönem Tag | schöner Musik | schönem Wetter | schönen Blumen |
46
| Genitive | schönen Tages | schöner Musik | schönen Wetters | schöner Blumen |
47
Examples:
48
Gutes Essen macht glücklich. (Good food makes happy.) - Essen is neuter nominative. No article, so gut takes the strong -es ending.
49
Wir trinken kalten Kaffee. (We drink cold coffee.) - Kaffee is masculine accusative. Without an article, kalt takes the strong -en ending.
50
Mit frischem Brot schmeckt es gut. (With fresh bread it tastes good.) - Brot is neuter dative. frisch takes the strong -em ending in the absence of an article.
51
Special Adjective Forms:
52
Some adjectives modify their stem before taking an ending. These are minor spelling changes you should be aware of for more natural pronunciation and writing.
53
Adjectives ending in -el (e.g., dunkel - dark, sensibel - sensitive) often drop the e before the ending: ein dunkler Wein (a dark wine), not ein dunkeler Wein. Das ist eine sensible Person. (That is a sensitive person.)
54
Adjectives ending in -er (e.g., teuer - expensive, sauer - sour) sometimes drop the e before the ending: ein teures Auto (an expensive car), not ein teueres Auto. This reduction often occurs when the e would be unstressed and helps with pronunciation, though it's not universally applied to all such adjectives.
55
The adjective hoch (high) loses its c when an ending is added: der hohe Baum (the high tree), not der hoche Baum. This is a unique and important irregularity.

When To Use It

You apply adjective endings primarily when an adjective is in the attributive position, meaning it directly precedes and modifies a noun. This is its most common function in descriptive language. Whenever you want to specify a characteristic of a noun within a noun phrase, these endings become indispensable, providing grammatical clarity and a natural flow to your sentences.
Consider these everyday situations where attributive adjectives are essential:
  • Describing objects: Ich kaufe einen roten Pullover. (I buy a red sweater.) - Here, rot (red) describes Pullover (sweater), which is masculine accusative, requiring the -en ending after the indefinite article einen (mixed declension).
  • Talking about people: Die freundliche Dame hilft mir. (The friendly lady helps me.) - freundlich (friendly) describes Dame (lady), which is feminine nominative, taking the -e ending after die (weak declension).
  • Expressing opinions or qualities without an article: Gutes Bier ist teuer. (Good beer is expensive.) - Bier is neuter nominative. With no article, gut takes the strong -es ending (strong declension).
It is crucial to distinguish this from two other grammatical functions where adjectives do not take endings:
  1. 1Predicative Adjectives: When an adjective follows a linking verb like sein (to be), werden (to become), or bleiben (to remain), it is predicative and does not receive an ending. The adjective acts as a predicate noun or describes the subject's state.
  • Compare: Das Wetter ist schön. (The weather is beautiful.) vs. Das schöne Wetter. (The beautiful weather.)
  • Here, schön describes Wetter, but because it's separated by ist, no ending is necessary. The predicate simply identifies a quality.
  1. 1Adverbs: When a word describes a verb, another adjective, or an adverb, it functions as an adverb and also does not take an ending. German often uses the same word form for adjectives and adverbs, making context vital.
  • Compare: Sie singt gut. (She sings well.) vs. Sie ist eine gute Sängerin. (She is a good singer.)
  • In the first sentence, gut describes how she sings (the action), so it's an adverb and remains unchanged. In the second, gut describes the noun Sängerin, requiring an ending.
In essence, if the adjective is directly "touching" the noun and acting as part of its descriptive identity within a noun phrase, you will need to apply the appropriate declension. If it's separated by a verb or describes an action, it stays in its base form.

Common Mistakes

Navigating adjective endings is challenging, and certain error patterns emerge consistently among German learners. Being aware of these can significantly accelerate your mastery and help you produce more natural-sounding German.
  • Over-declining Predicative Adjectives: A very common mistake is to apply an ending to an adjective that is in the predicative position (after a linking verb). Remember, predicative adjectives remain in their base form because they are not directly preceding a noun.
  • Incorrect: Die Suppe ist heiße.
  • Correct: Die Suppe ist heiß. (The soup is hot.)
  • The adjective heiß here describes the state of the soup, separated by ist, so no ending is required. The verb ist separates the adjective from the noun.
  • Forgetting the -en in Masculine Accusative (Mixed Declension): In mixed declension, masculine accusative requires an -en ending on the adjective, even though ein changes to einen. This double -en can feel redundant but is grammatically necessary.
  • Incorrect: Ich habe einen gut Freund.
  • Correct: Ich habe einen guten Freund. (I have a good friend.)
  • Both einen and guten are required to signal masculine accusative unequivocally within the mixed declension system.
  • Misapplying the Dative -en Rule: In Dative case, after any article or determiner (definite, indefinite, possessive, kein), the adjective almost universally takes the -en ending. Learners sometimes try to apply more complex rules, like matching the article's specific ending (e.g., -em for masculine dative or -er for feminine dative). This is an area where simplification is possible.
  • Incorrect: Mit dem neuem Auto.
  • Correct: Mit dem neuen Auto. (With the new car.)
  • For Dative (singular and plural across all genders), if there's an article/determiner, the adjective ending is almost always -en. Internalizing this can save you significant effort.
  • Ignoring Special Adjective Forms: Adjectives like hoch and those ending in -el or -er have stem changes. Forgetting these makes your German sound less natural and can sometimes impede understanding.
  • Incorrect: Das ist der hoche Berg.
  • Correct: Das ist der hohe Berg. (That is the high mountain.)
  • Incorrect: Mit einem dunkelen Bier.
  • Correct: Mit einem dunklen Bier. (With a dark beer.)
  • Pay attention to these minor but consistent spelling shifts.
  • Confusing Strong Declension for Plural Nouns: When no article is present before a plural noun, the adjective takes strong plural endings, usually -e in nominative/accusative. Learners sometimes default to -en, which is primarily for dative plural or when a strong article is present.
  • Incorrect: Ich mag frischen Blumen.
  • Correct: Ich mag frische Blumen. (I like fresh flowers.)
  • Blumen is plural, accusative. No article means strong declension, which results in -e for accusative plural. (Note: Dative plural without an article would be frischen.)
  • Neglecting Genitive Endings: Genitive case adjective endings, especially for masculine and neuter singular in strong and mixed declension, use -en on the adjective. This can be easily overlooked, leading to grammatical errors in more formal or complex sentences.
  • Incorrect: Wegen schlechtes Wetters bleiben wir zu Hause.
  • Correct: Wegen schlechten Wetters bleiben wir zu Hause. (Because of bad weather, we stay home.)
  • Wetters is neuter genitive. In strong declension, schlecht takes the strong -en ending, mirroring the -(e)s of the noun itself.
Consistent practice with sentence building, focusing on one declension type at a time, can help solidify these patterns and reduce common errors. Creating flashcards that highlight the different endings for a single adjective across all cases and genders is an effective learning strategy.

Real Conversations

Adjective declension is not just a theoretical grammatical concept; it is an omnipresent feature of spoken and written German. Whether you are chatting with friends, writing an email, or engaging on social media, you will encounter and need to correctly use these endings to sound natural and be clearly understood. Native speakers apply these rules intuitively, and your ability to do so significantly enhances your fluency.

- In casual conversation: Imagine ordering coffee: Ich hätte gern einen starken Kaffee. (I'd like a strong coffee.) Here, stark takes the -en ending because Kaffee is masculine accusative, following einen (mixed declension). Mispronouncing this as stark Kaffee immediately marks you as a non-native speaker.

- Texting and social media: When sharing plans with friends, you might write: Wir haben für morgen schönes Wetter bestellt! (We ordered beautiful weather for tomorrow!) schönes here is neuter nominative, strong declension, as there is no article before Wetter.

- Work emails or formal communication: If you're discussing a project, you could say: Die neuen Pläne sind sehr vielversprechend. (The new plans are very promising.) neuen takes -en for plural nominative, weak declension, following die.

- Shopping and product descriptions: Online reviews or physical store descriptions frequently use attributive adjectives. Dieses Produkt hat eine lange Lebensdauer. (This product has a long lifespan.) lange takes -e for feminine accusative (mixed declension, eine).

These examples illustrate that adjective endings are not confined to textbooks; they are integral to expressing nuanced meaning and maintaining grammatical correctness in everyday German. Your descriptions gain precision and naturalness when you consistently apply the appropriate endings, moving beyond basic communication to genuine fluency. The slight effort in mastering them pays off in clearer, more confident interactions.

Quick FAQ

  • Q: Why does German make adjectives so complicated?

The system provides grammatical redundancy, ensuring that case, gender, and number are clearly signaled within a noun phrase. If the article doesn't provide a strong signal, the adjective does, and vice-versa. This helps in understanding sentence structure, especially in complex sentences or when parts of a sentence are omitted. It's a feature of inflected languages.

  • Q: Do I really need to memorize all those tables?

While initial memorization helps, the ultimate goal is intuition. Focus on understanding the logic of the three declension types and the "strong/weak signal" principle. With consistent exposure and practice, the correct endings will begin to sound (and feel) right. Start with the most common cases and definite/indefinite articles.

  • Q: What about adjectives after numbers like zwei (two) or drei (three)?

After numbers, adjectives typically follow the strong declension rules for plural nouns. For instance: Ich habe zwei rote Äpfel gekauft. (I bought two red apples.) - rote is accusative plural, strong declension, thus -e.

  • Q: How do viele (many) or einige (some) affect adjectives?

Similar to numbers, words like viele, einige, mehrere (several), wenige (few) also trigger strong declension for the following adjective in plural forms. Example: Viele interessante Bücher. (Many interesting books.) - interessante is nominative plural, strong declension, thus -e.

  • Q: Is there an easy trick for the Mixed Declension (after ein/mein) in Nominative/Accusative singular?

Yes, you can think of it as the adjective "borrowing" the endings the definite article would have had. For Nominative: masculine gets -er (like der), feminine gets -e (like die), neuter gets -es (like das). For Accusative: masculine gets -en (like den), feminine gets -e (like die), neuter gets -es (like das). This ensures the case/gender is clearly marked.

  • Q: What if I forget an ending in spoken German? Will I be understood?

Often, yes, especially in informal contexts, because context can clarify meaning. However, consistently omitting endings sounds unnatural, ungrammatical, and can sometimes lead to minor ambiguities. It significantly impacts your perceived fluency and can create a robot-like impression. Aim for correctness for clear, confident communication.

Weak Declension (After Definite Article)

Case Masc {der|m} Fem {die|f} Neut {das|n} Plural {die|f}
Nom
-e
-e
-e
-en
Acc
-en
-e
-e
-en
Dat
-en
-en
-en
-en
Gen
-en
-en
-en
-en

Meanings

Adjective declension is the system of adding specific suffixes to adjectives to show grammatical agreement with the noun they modify.

1

Weak Declension

Used after definite articles (der, die, das, dieser, jener).

“Der alte Mann.”

“Die schöne Frau.”

2

Strong Declension

Used when no article is present.

“Kalter Kaffee schmeckt nicht.”

“Frisches Brot ist lecker.”

Reference Table

Reference table for German Adjective Endings: Dressing Up Nouns (Adjektivdeklination)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Definite + Adj + Noun
Der gute Mann
Negative
Indefinite + Adj + Noun
Kein guter Mann
Question
Article + Adj + Noun?
Welcher gute Mann?
Plural
Definite + Adj + Noun
Die guten Männer
No Article
Adj + Noun
Guter Wein
Dative
Definite + Adj + Noun
Dem guten Mann

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Das neue Fahrzeug ist schnell.

Das neue Fahrzeug ist schnell. (Describing a vehicle)

Neutral
Das neue Auto ist schnell.

Das neue Auto ist schnell. (Describing a vehicle)

Informal
Die neue Karre ist schnell.

Die neue Karre ist schnell. (Describing a vehicle)

Slang
Die neue Kiste geht ab.

Die neue Kiste geht ab. (Describing a vehicle)

Adjective Ending Decision Tree

Adjective

Article Type

  • Definite Weak
  • Indefinite Mixed
  • None Strong
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Examples by Level

1

Das ist ein gut-er Mann.

That is a good man.

2

Ich habe ein klein-es Auto.

I have a small car.

3

Die rot-e Blume ist schön.

The red flower is beautiful.

4

Er trinkt kalt-es Wasser.

He drinks cold water.

1

Den gut-en Mann kenne ich.

I know the good man.

2

Mit dem neu-en Auto fahre ich.

I drive with the new car.

3

Gute-r Wein schmeckt gut.

Good wine tastes good.

4

Die klein-en Kinder spielen.

The small children are playing.

1

Ein solch-er Fehler passiert.

Such a mistake happens.

2

Welch-es Buch liest du?

Which book are you reading?

3

Viele interessant-e Leute sind hier.

Many interesting people are here.

4

Das ist ein wirklich schön-es Haus.

That is a really beautiful house.

1

Trotz des schlecht-en Wetters gehen wir.

Despite the bad weather, we are going.

2

Er ist ein sehr begabt-er Musiker.

He is a very gifted musician.

3

Die neu-en Regelungen sind streng.

The new regulations are strict.

4

Ein lang-er, anstrengender Tag endet.

A long, exhausting day is ending.

1

Die hiesig-en Gegebenheiten sind komplex.

The local conditions are complex.

2

Ein solch-es Unterfangen erfordert Mut.

Such an undertaking requires courage.

3

Diejenigen, die hart arbeit-en, werden belohnt.

Those who work hard will be rewarded.

4

Ein alt-es, verstaubt-es Buch liegt dort.

An old, dusty book lies there.

1

Des kühn-en Ritters Schwert glänzte.

The bold knight's sword shone.

2

Manch ein gut-er Mensch irrt sich.

Many a good person is mistaken.

3

Die all-en bekannt-en Fakten.

The facts known to all.

4

Ein solch-erlei Vorfall ist selten.

Such an incident is rare.

Easily Confused

German Adjective Endings: Dressing Up Nouns (Adjektivdeklination) vs Weak vs Strong

Learners mix up when to use which.

Common Mistakes

✗

Der gut Mann

✓

Der gute Mann

Adjectives need an ending.
✗

Ich sehe den gute Mann

✓

Ich sehe den guten Mann

Accusative masculine requires -en.
✗

Ein gutes Mann

✓

Ein guter Mann

Gender mismatch.
✗

Die alle Leute

✓

Die allen Leute

Plural declension error.

Sentence Patterns

Das ist ein ___ ___.

Ich sehe den ___ ___.

Real World Usage

Ordering food constant

Ein kaltes Bier, bitte.

Social media very common

Mein neuer Hund!

Job interview common

Meine bisherigen Erfahrungen...

Travel common

Das nächste Hotel?

News very common

Die aktuellen Zahlen.

Texting very common

Guter Tag!

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💡

Focus on the article

If you know the article, you know the ending.
⚠️

Don't guess

Check the case first.
🎯

Memorize the table

It's the only way to be sure.
💬

Listen to natives

They use these endings naturally.

Smart Tips

Use -e or -en.

Der gut Mann → Der gute Mann

Use the strong ending.

Ein gut Mann → Ein guter Mann

Always use -en.

Die gute Leute → Die guten Leute

Use -en.

Mit dem gut Mann → Mit dem guten Mann

Pronunciation

/-ə/

Ending stress

Adjective endings are unstressed and should be pronounced as a soft 'uh' sound.

Declarative

Das ist ein gut-er Mann. ↘

Falling intonation for statements.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember 'E-N-E-N' for the Dative and Genitive cases; they are the most consistent.

Visual Association

Imagine a chameleon changing colors based on the 'hat' (article) it is wearing.

Rhyme

Der, die, das, die machen es klein, nach dem Artikel kommt meist ein -en oder -e rein.

Story

A man named 'Der' wears a hat. When he wears the hat, his clothes (adjectives) are simple. When he takes the hat off, his clothes become very strong and colorful.

Word Web

gutschönkleingroßneualtinteressant

Challenge

Write 5 sentences describing objects in your room using different articles.

Cultural Notes

Speakers sometimes drop the final 'n' in casual speech.

More formal adherence to declension rules in writing.

Similar to standard, but with specific regional vocabulary.

Germanic inflectional system.

Conversation Starters

“

Was ist dein liebstes deutsches Essen?

“

Wie findest du das neue Wetter?

“

Was war der interessanteste Film, den du gesehen hast?

“

Wie beurteilst du die aktuelle politische Lage?

Journal Prompts

Describe your best friend.
Describe a perfect day.
Write a review of a restaurant.
Reflect on a difficult decision.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the correct ending.

Der klein___ Hund.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: e
Nominative masculine after definite article.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ein guter Mann.
Nominative masculine indefinite.
Fix the mistake. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Ich sehe den gute Mann.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: den guten Mann
Accusative masculine.
Change to plural. Sentence Transformation

Der gute Mann.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Die guten Männer
Plural after definite article is -en.
Match the ending. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nom -> -er
Strong declension patterns.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Was trinkst du? B: Ein ___ Wasser.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: kaltes
Neuter accusative.
Order the words. Sentence Building

Mann / der / gute / ist / hier.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Der gute Mann ist hier.
Correct word order.
Is this true? True False Rule

Plural after 'die' is always -en.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: True
Always true for adjectives.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the correct ending.

Der klein___ Hund.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: e
Nominative masculine after definite article.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ein guter Mann.
Nominative masculine indefinite.
Fix the mistake. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Ich sehe den gute Mann.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: den guten Mann
Accusative masculine.
Change to plural. Sentence Transformation

Der gute Mann.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Die guten Männer
Plural after definite article is -en.
Match the ending. Match Pairs

Match case to ending.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Nom -> -er
Strong declension patterns.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Was trinkst du? B: Ein ___ Wasser.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: kaltes
Neuter accusative.
Order the words. Sentence Building

Mann / der / gute / ist / hier.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Der gute Mann ist hier.
Correct word order.
Is this true? True False Rule

Plural after 'die' is always -en.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: True
Always true for adjectives.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Add the correct ending. Fill in the Blank

Das ist eine sehr gut___ Idee!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: e
Order the words correctly. Sentence Reorder

einen / ich / brauche / neuen / Laptop / .

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ich brauche einen neuen Laptop.
Translate to German. Translation

A cold water, please.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ein kaltes Wasser, bitte.
Pick the correct form. Multiple Choice

Wir wohnen in einem ___ Haus.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: großen
Fix the ending. Error Correction

Guten Tag, mein lieber Freund!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Guten Tag, mein lieber Freund!
Match the article + adjective to the noun. Match Pairs

Match the pairs:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ein kleiner Hund, Eine kleine Katze, Ein kleines Kind
Fill the ending. Fill in the Blank

Die blau___ Tasche gehört mir.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: e
Which is correct? Multiple Choice

Ich sehe den ___ Hund.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: schwarzen
Fill the ending. Fill in the Blank

Hast du ein rot___ Auto?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: es
Translate to German. Translation

The fast car.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Das schnelle Auto.

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

To show case and gender clearly.

Yes, but start with the Weak one.

Don't worry, people will still understand you.

Yes, slightly.

Write sentences and check them.

Very few.

No, the rules are the same.

Yes, SubLearn has great tools.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

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In Other Languages

Spanish partial

Adjective agreement

German adds case to the agreement.

French partial

Accord de l'adjectif

No case system in French.

Japanese none

Adjective modification

No inflection.

Arabic partial

Adjective agreement

Different case markers.

Chinese low

De particle

No inflectional endings.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Predicative Adjectives: Simple Descriptions (No Ending)
Next
German Adverbs: The "No-Ending" Heroes (Adverbien ohne Endungen)

Learn These First

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