B1 Noun Gender 14 min read Medium

German N-Declension Nouns: The "Extra N" Rule (der Student -> den Studenten)

N-Declension adds an -n or -en to specific masculine nouns in every case except the Nominative singular.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Certain masculine nouns add an '-n' or '-en' ending in all cases except the Nominative singular.

  • If the noun is the direct object (Accusative), add -n: Ich sehe den Studenten.
  • If the noun is the indirect object (Dative), add -n: Ich helfe dem Studenten.
  • If the noun is the possessor (Genitive), add -n: Das Buch des Studenten.
Noun (masc) + -n/en (in Acc/Dat/Gen)

Overview

German N-Declension, known in German as die N-Deklination and sometimes called "weak masculine declension," is a mandatory grammatical pattern affecting a specific group of mostly masculine nouns. Its core rule is simple to state but requires practice to master: these nouns add an -n or -en suffix in every grammatical case except the nominative singular. For example, der Student der (the student) functions as the subject, but becomes den Studenten when he is the direct object.

This isn't an optional stylistic choice; it's a fundamental part of German grammar.

This pattern is a remnant of Old High German, where nouns were more clearly sorted into "strong" and "weak" declension classes. Weak nouns, which often referred to animate beings, consistently used an -n ending to mark their grammatical function. In modern German, this system has been simplified, but the N-Declension remains as a kind of grammatical fossil.

Its primary function today is to provide an extra layer of clarity, reinforcing the noun's role in a sentence alongside the article. For a B1 learner, mastering N-Declension is a significant step toward sounding more natural and precise, as it applies to many common nouns describing people, professions, and animals. Ignoring it is one of the most common and noticeable errors intermediate learners make.

How This Grammar Works

To understand N-Declension, you first have to contrast it with the standard or strong declension that applies to the vast majority of masculine and neuter nouns. In the strong declension, the primary signal for case is the article; the noun itself changes very little, except for adding an -s or -es in the genitive singular. N-Declension, or weak declension, requires a change in both the article and the noun.
Let's compare a strong noun, der Tisch der, with a weak noun, der Kunde der:
Strong vs. Weak Declension (Singular)
| Case | Strong Noun (der Tisch) | Weak Noun (der Kunde) | Analysis of Change |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Nominative | der Tisch | der Kunde | Base form; the subject. |
| Accusative | den Tisch | den Kunden | Strong: only article changes. Weak: article + noun change. |
| Dative | dem Tisch | dem Kunden | Strong: only article changes. Weak: article + noun change. |
| Genitive | des Tisches | des Kunden | Strong: article + noun get -s. Weak: article + noun get -n. |
As you can see, der Tisch remains unchanged in the accusative and dative. The grammatical work is done entirely by the articles den and dem. With der Kunde, the noun itself actively participates by taking an -n ending.
This creates a system of redundancy; the case is marked twice, making the sentence structure exceptionally clear. For instance, in Ich sehe den Kunden, both den and Kunden signal the accusative case. This dual-marking system is the defining characteristic of N-Declension.
A key point of confusion—and eventual simplification—is that the singular accusative, dative, and genitive forms of an N-Declension noun are identical to all of its plural forms (except the dative plural, which also looks the same). den Kunden can mean "(to) the customer" (dative singular) or "the customers" (accusative plural). Context becomes your essential tool for telling them apart.

Formation Pattern

1
The challenge of N-Declension lies in identifying which nouns follow the pattern. Once a noun is identified as weak, applying the ending is straightforward. Nouns that follow this rule fall into several predictable categories.
2
1. Identifying N-Declension Nouns
3
You can identify most N-Declension nouns by their meaning and their ending in the nominative singular.
4
Group 1: Masculine nouns for people/animals ending in -e. This is the largest and most consistent group.
5
Examples: der Junge (the boy), der Kollege (the colleague), der Experte (the expert), der Kunde (the customer), der Zeuge (the witness), der Löwe (the lion), der Hase (the rabbit).
6
Group 2: Masculine nouns for people with foreign suffixes. These often describe professions, nationalities, or roles.
7
-ant: der Praktikant (the intern), der Demonstrant (the protestor)
8
-ent: der Student (the student), der Präsident (the president), der Dozent (the lecturer)
9
-ist: der Journalist (the journalist), der Tourist (the tourist), der Polizist (the police officer)
10
-at: der Diplomat (the diplomat), der Kandidat (the candidate), der Soldat (the soldier)
11
-oge: der Biologe (the biologist), der Psychologe (the psychologist)
12
-graf: der Fotograf (the photographer), der Biograf (the biographer)
13
Group 3: A small, specific list of common masculine nouns. These must be memorized.
14
Includes: der Mensch (the person), der Herr (the gentleman, Mr.), der Nachbar (the neighbor), der Bauer (the farmer), der Held (the hero), der Prinz (the prince), der Narr (the fool).
15
2. The Endings: -n or -en
16
Add -n: If the noun's base form ends in -e, -er, or -el. Since most nouns in Group 1 end in -e, they just add -n. der Nachbar is a key example from Group 3.
17
der Kollege → den Kollegen
18
der Nachbar → dem Nachbarn
19
Add -en: For almost all other N-Declension nouns, including the foreign-suffix group and most of the memorized list.
20
der Student → des Studenten
21
der Mensch → den Menschen
22
3. The Declension Table
23
This table shows the full pattern for a standard N-Declension noun, der Praktikant der.
24
| Case | Singular | Plural |
25
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
26
| Nominative | der Praktikant | die Praktikanten |
27
| Accusative | den Praktikanten | die Praktikanten |
28
| Dative | dem Praktikanten | den Praktikanten |
29
| Genitive | des Praktikanten | der Praktikanten |
30
4. Irregular and Mixed-Declension Nouns
31
Some nouns add a further wrinkle. These are called "mixed" because they take the weak -n ending in the accusative and dative but the strong -s ending in the genitive.
32
The Mixed Group: The most common are der Name (name), der Gedanke (thought), der Buchstabe (letter of the alphabet), der Funke (spark), and der Wille (will).
33
Genitive form: des Namens, des Gedankens, des Buchstabens.
34
Example with der Name: Ich kenne den Namen (Acc), mit dem Namen (Dat), but die Bedeutung des Namens (Gen).
35
Special Cases:
36
der Herr der: This noun is unique. It takes -n in the singular (den Herrn, dem Herrn) but -en in the plural (die Herren, den Herren). This is a frequent source of errors.
37
das Herz das: This is the only non-masculine noun that participates in this system. It follows a mixed pattern but is even more irregular. It only takes an ending in the dative and genitive. Accusative remains unchanged.
38
Nominative/Accusative: das Herz
39
Dative: dem Herzen
40
Genitive: des Herzens

Gender & Agreement

N-Declension is a feature tied almost exclusively to masculine nouns. With the single exception of das Herz das, every noun that follows this pattern is masculine (der). This provides a strong clue: if a noun is feminine (die) or neuter (das), you can be certain it does not follow the standard N-Declension pattern.
Feminine nouns, for instance, have a much simpler declension system and never change their form in the singular cases.
The presence of an N-Declension noun also has a simplifying effect on any adjectives that precede it. According to German adjective declension rules, when a noun is preceded by a definite article (der, die, das) or a determiner that acts like one (dieser, jeder), the adjective takes weak endings. Because N-Declension nouns almost always appear with such determiners, you will consistently use weak adjective declension.
The pattern is very predictable:
Adjective Agreement with an N-Declension Noun
| Case | Example Phrase with der junge Praktikant | Adjective Ending | Rule |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Nominative | der junge Praktikant | -e | The only time you'll see -e. |
| Accusative | den jungen Praktikanten | -en | -en in all other cases. |
| Dative | dem jungen Praktikanten | -en | -en in all other cases. |
| Genitive | des jungen Praktikanten | -en | -en in all other cases. |
| Plural (All Cases) | die/den/der jungen Praktikanten | -en | -en in all other cases. |
This creates a simple rule of thumb for you: when declining a phrase with an N-Declension noun, the adjective will end in -e in the nominative singular and -en everywhere else. This uniformity of (article)-en (adjective)-en (noun)-en in the oblique cases is a hallmark of the pattern. For example: Ich helfe dem neuen jungen Kollegen.

When To Use It

You must apply the N-Declension ending whenever a noun belonging to this group is used in the singular accusative, dative, or genitive case. In simpler terms, if the noun is not the grammatical subject of the sentence, it needs the extra -n or -en.
Here are the most common situations where you'll need it:
  • As a direct object (Accusative): The noun receives the action of the verb.
  • Die Polizei verhaftet den Demonstranten. (The police arrests the protestor.)
  • Ich kenne den Architekten persönlich. (I know the architect personally.)
  • As an indirect object (Dative): The noun is the recipient of the direct object.
  • Der Professor antwortet dem Studenten. (The professor answers the student.)
  • Wir helfen dem neuen Kollegen. (We are helping the new colleague.)
  • After a preposition that requires the accusative case: Prepositions like für, durch, gegen, ohne, um.
  • Dieses Geschenk ist für den Jungen. (This gift is for the boy.)
  • Wir kämpfen gegen den Tyrannen. (We are fighting against the tyrant.)
  • After a preposition that requires the dative case: Prepositions like mit, nach, aus, zu, von, bei.
  • Sie spricht gerade mit dem Präsidenten. (She is currently speaking with the president.)
  • Nach dem Polizisten habe ich keine Angst mehr. (After the policeman, I'm no longer afraid.)
  • In a genitive construction to show possession:
  • Das Büro des Journalisten ist im zweiten Stock. (The journalist's office is on the second floor.)
  • Die Meinung des Experten war uns wichtig. (The expert's opinion was important to us.)

Common Mistakes

Learners at the B1 level make several predictable errors with N-Declension. Being aware of them is the first step to avoiding them.
  • Mistake 1: Simply forgetting the ending. This is the most frequent error. An English speaker's brain sees the article change (der to den) and assumes the grammatical work is done.
  • Incorrect: Ich frage den Polizist.
  • Correct: Ich frage den Polizisten.
  • Why it happens: The ending feels redundant. You must train yourself to remember that for this special class of nouns, both the article and the noun must change together.
  • Mistake 2: Adding a genitive -s to an N-Declension noun. Learners correctly remember that masculine genitive requires an -s ending but incorrectly apply it to weak nouns.
  • Incorrect: Das Auto des Kundens.
  • Correct: Das Auto des Kunden.
  • Why it happens: It's an over-application of the strong declension rule. Remember the fundamental choice: a noun is either strong (genitive -s) or weak (genitive -n). It cannot be both (except for the small "mixed" group).
  • Mistake 3: Genitive errors with the "mixed" group. The special -ns genitive for nouns like der Name and der Gedanke is often forgotten.
  • Incorrect: Der Klang des Name or des Namen.
  • Correct: Der Klang des Namens.
  • Why it happens: This is a pure exception that requires memorization. Associate der Name, der Gedanke, and der Buchstabe as a special unit with a special genitive.
  • Mistake 4: Confusing singular and plural forms. Because the declined singular forms (den/dem/des Studenten) are identical to the plural forms (die/den/der Studenten), learners can get confused about which they are reading or hearing.
  • Sentence: Der Chef dankt den Mitarbeitern.
  • Analysis: Here, den is the dative plural article. It must be plural. If it were singular, it would be dem Mitarbeitern.
  • Why it happens: This is less a mistake in production and more a challenge in comprehension. You must rely on the article (dem vs. den) and the wider sentence context to distinguish singular from plural.
  • Mistake 5: Incorrectly declining der Herr. This noun's unique pattern is a common trap.
  • Incorrect (formal address): Ich schreibe an den Herr Schmidt.
  • Correct: Ich schreibe an den Herrn Schmidt.
  • Why it happens: Forgetting that it takes -n in the singular oblique cases. This is especially important in formal and business communication.

Common Collocations

Learning N-Declension nouns within common phrases, or collocations, helps you internalize the pattern automatically. Here are some high-frequency examples.
  • With Dative Verbs (helfen, danken, antworten):
  • dem Kunden helfen (to help the customer)
  • dem Experten danken (to thank the expert)
  • dem Praktikanten antworten (to answer the intern)
  • With Accusative Verbs (fragen, sehen, kennen):
  • den Zeugen fragen (to ask the witness)
  • den Nachbarn sehen (to see the neighbor)
  • den Präsidenten kennen (to know the president)
  • With Dative Prepositions (mit, zu, von):
  • mit dem Herrn sprechen (to speak with the gentleman/Mr.)
  • zu einem Spezialisten gehen (to go to a specialist)
  • ein Geschenk von dem Jungen (a gift from the boy)
  • With Accusative Prepositions (für, gegen):
  • ein Formular für den Studenten (a form for the student)
  • ein Verbrechen gegen den Menschen (a crime against the person)
  • Genitive Phrases:
  • die Rede des Präsidenten (the president's speech)
  • im Namen des Volkes (in the name of the people - note the mixed declension of a different noun, das Volk here is genitive singular of a strong noun, a good contrast) -> Correcting myself, im Namen des Gesetzes is better. Let's stick to the N-declension nouns. die Tasche des Boten (the messenger's bag).

Real Conversations

Textbook examples are clean, but N-Declension is everywhere in authentic German. Here’s how you might see or hear it in different contexts.

- At the Office (Email):

Betreff: Rückfrage zum Meeting mit dem Kunden

Hallo Frau Weber,

ich habe eine kurze Frage bezüglich des neuen Praktikanten. Hat er schon mit dem zuständigen Architekten gesprochen? Ich wollte ihm nur schnell die Kontaktdaten von Herrn Meier geben.

A

Analysis

* This short email uses the pattern four times: mit dem Kunden (dative), des neuen Praktikanten (genitive with adjective), dem zuständigen Architekten (dative with adjective), and von Herrn Meier (dative, using the -n ending for Herr).

- Texting / WhatsApp:

- A: Hast du den neuen Kollegen von IT schon kennengelernt? (Have you met the new colleague from IT yet?)

- B: Ja, hab grad mit dem jungen gesprochen. Super nett. (Yeah, just spoke with the guy. Super nice.) -> Here, dem Jungen is shortened to dem jungen. This is very common colloquial speech.

- A: Cool. Muss den typen später auch was fragen. (Cool. Have to ask the guy something later.) -> den Typen (der Typ is a colloquial N-declension noun).

- Spoken Casual Conversation:

"Ich hab' gestern im Café einen alten Bekannten getroffen. Ein komischer Kauz. Musst du dir mal vorstellen: Der hat dem Kellnern erzählt, er sei ein Nachfahre von irgendeinem Prinzen."

A

Analysis

* This snippet uses einen alten Bekannten (accusative, der Bekannte is a nominalized adjective acting as an N-Declension noun), dem Kellnern (dative, colloquial plural form or a mistake, should be dem Kellner), and einem Prinzen (dative).

Quick FAQ

  • Q: Do I really have to memorize the list of N-Declension nouns?
  • A: You don't have to memorize all of them, but you absolutely should memorize the rules for identifying them: masculine nouns ending in -e, nouns with suffixes like -ent, -ist, -oge, and the short, common list (der Herr, der Mensch, der Nachbar, der Held, etc.). The patterns are more important than the individual words.
  • Q: Why does des Namens get an -ns in the genitive? It feels so random.
  • A: It's not random, but it is rare. Der Name belongs to a small "mixed declension" group that takes weak endings (-n) in the accusative/dative but a strong ending (-s) in the genitive. The n is part of the noun's stem in these cases. Think of it as (Stamm+n)+s. This group includes der Gedanke, der Buchstabe, der Funke.
  • Q: Are there any feminine nouns that do this?
  • A: No. N-Declension is a masculine noun phenomenon. The only exception to the der-word rule is the single neuter noun das Herz. Feminine (die) nouns are simple: they never change their form in the singular, regardless of case.
  • Q: How does this work with indefinite articles (ein, kein) or possessives (mein, dein)?
  • A: The rule for the noun stays exactly the same. The noun takes its -n or -en ending. The article itself simply follows its own standard declension pattern. Example: Ich sehe einen Studenten (Acc), Ich helfe einem Studenten (Dat), Das ist das Buch eines Studenten (Gen).

N-Declension Pattern

Case Article Noun (Example: Student)
Nominative
der
Student
Accusative
den
Studenten
Dative
dem
Studenten
Genitive
des
Studenten

Meanings

The N-Declension is a specific group of masculine nouns that require an additional '-n' or '-en' suffix when used in the Accusative, Dative, or Genitive cases.

1

Masculine Nouns ending in -e

Most masculine nouns ending in -e (like der Junge) belong to this group.

“Der {Junge|m} spielt.”

“Ich sehe den {Jungen|m}.”

Reference Table

Reference table for German N-Declension Nouns: The "Extra N" Rule (der Student -> den Studenten)
Form Structure Example
Nominative
der + Noun
Der Student lernt.
Accusative
den + Noun-en
Ich sehe den Studenten.
Dative
dem + Noun-en
Ich helfe dem Studenten.
Genitive
des + Noun-en
Das Buch des Studenten.
Plural
die + Noun-en
Die Studenten lernen.

Formality Spectrum

Formal
Ich sehe den Studenten.

Ich sehe den Studenten. (General)

Neutral
Ich sehe den Studenten.

Ich sehe den Studenten. (General)

Informal
Ich sehe den Studenten.

Ich sehe den Studenten. (General)

Slang
Ich sehe den Studenten.

Ich sehe den Studenten. (General)

N-Declension Categories

N-Declension

People

  • Junge boy
  • Student student

Animals

  • Bär bear
  • Löwe lion

Nationalities

  • Franzose Frenchman
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Examples by Level

1

Ich sehe den {Jungen|m}.

I see the boy.

2

Das ist der {Junge|m}.

That is the boy.

3

Ich helfe dem {Jungen|m}.

I help the boy.

4

Das Buch des {Jungen|m}.

The boy's book.

1

Der {Student|m} lernt.

The student is studying.

2

Ich frage den {Studenten|m}.

I ask the student.

3

Ich gebe dem {Studenten|m} ein Buch.

I give the student a book.

4

Das Auto des {Studenten|m}.

The student's car.

1

Der {Nachbar|m} ist nett.

The neighbor is nice.

2

Ich besuche den {Nachbarn|m}.

I am visiting the neighbor.

3

Ich danke dem {Nachbarn|m}.

I thank the neighbor.

4

Das Haus des {Nachbarn|m}.

The neighbor's house.

1

Der {Fotograf|m} macht Fotos.

The photographer takes photos.

2

Ich kenne den {Fotografen|m}.

I know the photographer.

3

Ich helfe dem {Fotografen|m}.

I help the photographer.

4

Die Kamera des {Fotografen|m}.

The photographer's camera.

1

Der {Franzose|m} spricht schnell.

The Frenchman speaks quickly.

2

Ich verstehe den {Franzosen|m}.

I understand the Frenchman.

3

Ich antworte dem {Franzosen|m}.

I answer the Frenchman.

4

Die Meinung des {Franzosen|m}.

The Frenchman's opinion.

1

Der {Bär|m} schläft.

The bear is sleeping.

2

Ich beobachte den {Bären|m}.

I observe the bear.

3

Ich gebe dem {Bären|m} Honig.

I give the bear honey.

4

Das Fell des {Bären|m}.

The bear's fur.

Easily Confused

German N-Declension Nouns: The "Extra N" Rule (der Student -> den Studenten) vs Plural vs. N-declension

Both add an 'n' or 'en'.

German N-Declension Nouns: The "Extra N" Rule (der Student -> den Studenten) vs Strong vs. Weak Nouns

Strong nouns don't change, weak nouns do.

German N-Declension Nouns: The "Extra N" Rule (der Student -> den Studenten) vs Nominative vs. Accusative

Learners often use the N-form in the Nominative.

Common Mistakes

✗

Ich sehe den Student.

✓

Ich sehe den Studenten.

Missing the N-declension ending.
✗

Ich helfe dem Junge.

✓

Ich helfe dem Jungen.

Missing the N-declension ending.
✗

Das ist des Studenten.

✓

Das ist der Student.

Incorrect case usage.
✗

Ich sehe den Tisch.

✓

Ich sehe den Tisch.

Adding N-declension to inanimate objects.
✗

Ich frage den Bär.

✓

Ich frage den Bären.

Missing the N-declension ending.
✗

Ich gebe dem Nachbar ein Buch.

✓

Ich gebe dem Nachbarn ein Buch.

Missing the N-declension ending.
✗

Das Buch des Jungen.

✓

Das Buch des Jungen.

Correct, but often confused with Nominative.
✗

Ich kenne den Fotograf.

✓

Ich kenne den Fotografen.

Missing the N-declension ending.
✗

Ich antworte dem Franzose.

✓

Ich antworte dem Franzosen.

Missing the N-declension ending.
✗

Das Auto des Fotograf.

✓

Das Auto des Fotografen.

Missing the N-declension ending.
✗

Er ist ein Student.

✓

Er ist ein Student.

Correct, but sometimes learners add an 'n' here incorrectly.
✗

Ich sehe den Studenten.

✓

Ich sehe den Studenten.

Correct, but sometimes learners forget it in complex sentences.
✗

Das ist des Studenten.

✓

Das ist der Student.

Incorrect case usage.

Sentence Patterns

Ich sehe den ___.

Ich helfe dem ___.

Das ist des ___.

Der ___ lernt.

Real World Usage

University very common

Ich treffe den Studenten.

Neighborhood common

Ich spreche mit dem Nachbarn.

Zoo occasional

Ich beobachte den Bären.

Job Interview common

Ich kenne den Fotografen.

Social Media common

Ich warte auf den Jungen.

Travel occasional

Ich frage den Franzosen.

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💡

Check the gender

N-declension only applies to masculine nouns.
⚠️

Not for objects

Don't add 'n' to inanimate objects like 'der Tisch'.
🎯

Look for -e

Many N-declension nouns end in -e.
💬

Use it naturally

Don't overthink it, just practice.

Smart Tips

Ask yourself: Is it a person or animal?

Ich sehe den Student. → Ich sehe den Studenten.

Check the case of the noun.

Ich helfe dem Junge. → Ich helfe dem Jungen.

Look for the -n ending as a clue.

Der Student lernt. → Ich sehe den Studenten.

Practice the N-declension aloud.

Ich kenne den Fotograf. → Ich kenne den Fotografen.

Pronunciation

/ˈʃtuːdəntən/

N-ending

The '-n' or '-en' is pronounced clearly as a syllable.

Standard

Ich sehe den Stu-den-ten ↘

Declarative statement

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Remember: 'N' for 'N-declension' means 'N' for 'Noun' gets an 'n'!

Visual Association

Imagine a student (Student) wearing a giant 'N' necklace. Every time he is not the subject, the 'N' glows and gets bigger.

Rhyme

If the noun is not the subject, add an 'n' to make it perfect.

Story

The boy (der Junge) was happy in the Nominative. But when he became the object (den Jungen), he had to carry an extra 'n' on his back. He felt heavy, but he was grammatically correct.

Word Web

StudentJungeBärNachbarFotografFranzose

Challenge

Write 5 sentences using 'der {Junge|m}' in all 4 cases.

Cultural Notes

N-declension is standard in all German-speaking regions.

Similar usage, though some regional dialects might drop the 'n' in very informal speech.

Standard German rules apply in writing.

The N-declension is a remnant of the Old High German weak declension.

Conversation Starters

“

Kennen Sie den {Studenten|m}?

“

Helfen Sie dem {Jungen|m}?

“

Ist das der {Nachbar|m}?

“

Haben Sie den {Fotografen|m} gesehen?

Journal Prompts

Describe your neighbor.
Write about a student you know.
Describe a bear you saw at the zoo.
Write about a photographer you admire.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

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Test Yourself

Fill in the correct form.

Ich sehe den ___ (Student).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Studenten
Accusative case requires -en.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ich helfe dem Jungen.
Dative case requires -en.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Ich frage den Nachbar.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ich frage den Nachbarn.
Accusative case requires -n.
Transform to Accusative. Sentence Transformation

Der Student lernt.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ich sehe den Studenten.
Accusative case requires -en.
Is this true? True False Rule

N-declension applies to all nouns.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
Only specific masculine nouns.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Kennst du den ___? B: Ja, er ist nett.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jungen
Accusative case.
Build the sentence. Sentence Building

helfe / dem / ich / Studenten

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ich helfe dem Studenten.
Correct Dative structure.
Match the case. Match Pairs

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

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Der Student
Nominative is the base form.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the correct form.

Ich sehe den ___ (Student).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Studenten
Accusative case requires -en.
Choose the correct sentence. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ich helfe dem Jungen.
Dative case requires -en.
Correct the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Ich frage den Nachbar.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ich frage den Nachbarn.
Accusative case requires -n.
Transform to Accusative. Sentence Transformation

Der Student lernt.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ich sehe den Studenten.
Accusative case requires -en.
Is this true? True False Rule

N-declension applies to all nouns.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: False
Only specific masculine nouns.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: Kennst du den ___? B: Ja, er ist nett.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jungen
Accusative case.
Build the sentence. Sentence Building

helfe / dem / ich / Studenten

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ich helfe dem Studenten.
Correct Dative structure.
Match the case. Match Pairs

Match Nominative to example.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Der Student
Nominative is the base form.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Fill in the blank with 'der Junge'. Fill in the Blank

Das ist das Spielzeug des ___.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Jungen
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Ich habe einen Mensch im Park getroffen.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ich habe einen Menschen im Park getroffen.
Put the words in the correct order. Sentence Reorder

den / ich / frage / Polizisten

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Both are correct.
Translate to German. Translation

I am helping the neighbor.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Ich helfe dem Nachbarn.
Match the Nominative to the Accusative form. Match Pairs

Match the pairs:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: der Bär : den Bären
Is it singular or plural? Multiple Choice

Sentence: 'Ich sehe den Studenten.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Singular
Fill in the blank. Fill in the Blank

Glaubst du dem ___ (Optimist)?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Optimisten
Correct the Genitive form of 'der Name'. Error Correction

Das ist die Bedeutung des Name.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Das ist die Bedeutung des Namens.
Translate 'the customer (acc.)'. Translation

How do you say 'the customer' in the accusative?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: den Kunden
Complete the sentence. Fill in the Blank

Ich schreibe eine E-Mail an den ___ (Kollege).

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Kollegen

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

No, N-declension is only for masculine nouns.

No, only masculine.

No, only a specific group.

Sometimes it's just -n.

It's a historical term for this declension pattern.

Yes, it is mandatory in standard German.

It will sound incorrect to native speakers.

Yes, it is standard in all forms of German.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

Sign up free to practice

In Other Languages

Spanish none

None

Spanish uses prepositions to show case.

French none

None

French uses word order and prepositions.

German high

N-Deklination

It is unique to German.

Japanese low

Particles

Japanese marks the case with particles, not noun endings.

Arabic partial

Case endings (I'rab)

Arabic marks all nouns, not just a specific group.

Chinese none

None

Chinese relies on word order.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
German Genitive Case (Possession)
Next
The Preposition 'über': Above vs. Across (Location vs. Direction)

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