Adjective
An adjective describes a noun—it tells us more about its quality, color, size, etc.
In German, adjectives get endings depending on:
- Gender of the noun (masc./fem./neut./plural)
- Number (singular/plural)
- Case (nominative, accusative, dative, genitive)
🎯 Focus per level:
- A1: Basic descriptive adjectives
- A2: Comparative (größer), superlative (am größten)
- B1-B2: Declension rules (strong/weak/mixed), adjective placement
Adjective After the Noun
Adjective comes after the noun -> it does not take an ending.
Example:
- Das Buch ist interessant. → “The book is interesting.”
Adjective Used to Avoid Noun Repetition
Adjective replacing noun → takes ending based on gender, case, number
Example:
-
Welchen Kuli kaufst du? – Den blauen oder den schwarzen?
Here, “blauen” and “schwarzen” refer to Kuli (masc., accusative)
There are three* types of adjective endings:
1. With Definite (Bestimmt) Article.
| Case / Gender | Masculine | Neuter | Feminine | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | -e | -e | -e | -en |
| Accusative | -en | -e | -e | -en |
| Dative | -en | -en | -en | -en |
| Genitive | -en | -en | -en | -en |
Rule of thumb:
- Nom.: all genders → -e
- Akk.: neuter & fem → -e
- Rest → -en
2. With Indefinite (Unbestimmt) Article.
| Case / Gender | Masculine | Neuter | Feminine | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | -er | -es | -e | -en |
| Accusative | -en | -es | -e | -en |
| Dative | -en | -en | -en | -en |
| Genitive | -en | -en | -en | -en |
Rule of thumb:
- Unbestimmt article has no plural, so plural endings are used with possessive pronouns or keine.
- Nom. neuter & feminine Akk. → same as Nom.
3.Adjective Endings Without Article (ohne Artikel)
| Case / Gender | Masculine | Neuter | Feminine | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | -er | -es | -e | -e |
| Accusative | -en | -es | -e | -e |
| Dative | -em | -em | -er | -en |
| Genitive | -en | -en | -er | -er |
Rule of thumb:
- Mas./Neut. Genitive → -en (exception)
- Dative plural → -en (common with prepositions like mit, bei)
4. Special Adjective Endings with Other Words
- alle → always -en
- wenige, einige, andere, mehrere, viele → -e
Common-Adjective
neu new X alt old X jung young
- hoch high X niedrig low
- schwer heavy X leicht light
- groß big X klein small
- lang long X kurz short
- früh early X spät late
- wichtig important
- falsch wrong X richtig right
- gut good X schlecht bad
- billig cheap X teuer expensive
- schnell fast X langsam slow
- warm warm X kalt cold
- glücklich happy X krank ill
- gesund healthy X müde tired
- laut loud X leise quiet
Biological Adjectives
- Sauber (clean) X Schmutzig (dirty)
- Männlich (male) X Weiblich (female)
- Heiß (hot) X Kalt (cold)
- Nass (wet) X Trocken (dry)
- Juckend (itchy) X Brennend (burning)
- Schweißig (sweaty) X Feucht (damp)
- Geschnitten (cut) X Verletzt (injured)
- Klein (small) -->Mittelgroß (medium) --> Groß (large)
- Krank (sick) X Gesund (healthy)
- Mager (skinny) X Fett (fat)