German Adjective Endings: The 3 Tables, Simply Explained
German adjective endings are the part of grammar that learners dread most. When you say ein kleines Kind (a small child) or mit dem alten Mann (with the old man), the ending on the adjective changes depending on the gender, case and type of article before it. This seems chaotic at first, but it follows a system with only three tables and one core rule.
Why adjective endings change
In German, one word in a noun phrase must show the gender and case. Normally the article does this (der, die, das). When the article already shows a clear gender/case signal, the adjective takes a weak ending. When the article gives no signal (or no article exists), the adjective must carry the information itself.
This gives three situations:
1. After a definite article (der, die, das, den, dem, des) — article shows gender, adjective ending is minimal (weak)
2. After an indefinite article (ein, eine) or negation (kein) or possessives (mein, dein, sein…) — partially weak, partially strong
3. No article at all — adjective must show full gender signal (strong)
Table 1: after the definite article (weak endings)
Use this table after der, die, das, die (pl) and their declined forms (den, dem, des, der, den, der).
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der alte Mann | die alte Frau | das alte Kind | die alten Kinder |
| Accusative | den alten Mann | die alte Frau | das alte Kind | die alten Kinder |
| Dative | dem alten Mann | der alten Frau | dem alten Kind | den alten Kindern |
| Genitive | des alten Mannes | der alten Frau | des alten Kindes | der alten Kinder |
Pattern: mostly -en, with -e only in five positions — nominative masculine/feminine/neuter singular and accusative feminine/neuter singular. If you learn “-e in the nominative singular plus accusative feminine and neuter, -en everywhere else”, you have it.
Table 2: after the indefinite article (mixed endings)
Use this table after ein/eine/ein (and its declined forms), kein/keine, and all possessive articles: mein, dein, sein, ihr, unser, euer, Ihr.
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ein alter Mann | eine alte Frau | ein altes Kind | meine alten Kinder |
| Accusative | einen alten Mann | eine alte Frau | ein altes Kind | meine alten Kinder |
| Dative | einem alten Mann | einer alten Frau | einem alten Kind | meinen alten Kindern |
| Genitive | eines alten Mannes | einer alten Frau | eines alten Kindes | meiner alten Kinder |
Pattern: the “strong” endings (-er, -e, -es) appear in the nominative singular and in the accusative feminine and neuter. Everywhere else: -en.
Why? Because ein, kein and possessives have no ending in nominative masculine (ein Mann, not eine Mann) and neuter (ein Kind, kein Kind) — so the adjective must supply the signal: ein alter Mann, ein altes Kind.
Table 3: no article (strong endings)
Use this when there is no article at all — coffee with milk, fresh bread, good friends.
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | alter Wein | alte Milch | altes Brot | alte Freunde |
| Accusative | alten Wein | alte Milch | altes Brot | alte Freunde |
| Dative | altem Wein | alter Milch | altem Brot | alten Freunden |
| Genitive | alten Weines | alter Milch | alten Brotes | alter Freunde |
Pattern: these endings look like the endings of der/die/das itself — the adjective is “borrowing” the article’s job. The ending matches the last letter of the definite article (der → -er, die → -e, das → -es, den → -en, dem → -em). The exception is the masculine and neuter genitive, which take -en (not -es).
A memory trick: borrow the article’s signal
Look at the endings of der/die/das:
– der → -r → adjective takes -er (no article, masc. nom.)
– die → -e → adjective takes -e (no article, fem. nom.)
– das → -s → adjective takes -es (no article, neut. nom.)
– dem → -m → adjective takes -em (no article, dative)
The adjective takes the signal that the article would have given if one were present (genitive masculine/neuter is the one exception).
Multiple adjectives before a noun
All adjectives in a row take the same ending as if there were only one:
- ein alter, müder Mann (an old, tired man) — both get -er (mixed, masc. nom.)
- mit dem großen, alten, schwarzen Hund — all get -en (weak, masc. dat.)
Practise your German out loud with SipLingo, free to try on iPhone and Android:
Common mistakes
1. Using the nominative ending in the accusative masculine
– Wrong: Ich sehe ein alter Mann.
– Right: Ich sehe einen alten Mann. (accusative masculine: einen + -en)
2. Changing the neuter ending in the accusative
– Neuter looks the same in nominative and accusative: Das ist ein altes Haus. / Ich kaufe ein altes Haus. Both take -es. Learners often wrongly write ein alten Haus in the accusative.
3. Forgetting that plural has no indefinite article
– ein has no plural form. Use the possessive (meine alten Freunde) or go articleless (alte Freunde).
4. Forgetting the accusative after “kein”
– Kein follows the same pattern as ein in the singular: Das ist kein alter Mann. (nominative)
– Wrong: Ich habe kein alten Freund.
– Right: Ich habe keinen alten Freund. (accusative masculine)
5. Wrong ending after possessives
– mein, dein, unser work like ein: mein neues Auto (neuter nominative, -es), mit meinem neuen Auto (dative, -en).
Practical examples
Shopping:
– Ich hätte gern ein großes Wasser. (I’d like a large water.)
– Haben Sie einen günstigeren Preis? (Do you have a cheaper price?)
Describing:
– Das ist ein altes Gebäude. (That is an old building.)
– Ich wohne in einer kleinen Wohnung. (I live in a small flat.)
– Sie hat einen netten Chef. (She has a nice boss.)
Without article (common in speech):
– Guten Morgen! (Good morning! — Morgen is masculine, accusative greeting, no article)
– Herzlichen Glückwunsch! (Congratulations! — masculine, accusative, no article)
– Frischer Kaffee, bitte. (Fresh coffee, please.)
Note: Guten Morgen and Herzlichen Glückwunsch are set phrases where the adjective ending is strong (no article, accusative) — they are useful reminders that this pattern is very much alive.
How much does a wrong ending matter?
In conversation: not much. A native speaker will understand ich sehe ein alter Mann even though the correct form is einen alten Mann. Wrong endings are a learner’s mistake, not a comprehension barrier.
In exams and writing: endings cost points. They are tested at every level from A2 upwards.
The goal at B1 is to get nominative and accusative right most of the time for the common genders. Genitive adjective endings can wait until B2.
Practise in real sentences
Tables become habits through use. The fastest route is to say the full noun phrase — article + adjective + noun — in real sentences, repeatedly, until the right ending comes automatically.
SipLingo corrects your adjective endings in real conversations, in your own language, with the correct sentence shown. That feedback in context is what turns a table into instinct. Try it free →
For related grammar, see the 4 German cases explained and German prepositions with accusative and dative.
Official sources
For the official details and the latest updates, see:
- IDS Mannheim (grammis): grammis: der große vs ein großer (adjective endings) – Why adjective endings change with the article (weak vs strong)
- Duden: Duden for learners: articles (der, die, das) – Definite, indefinite and zero articles by gender, number and case
Frequently asked questions
What are the German adjective endings?
There are three sets: weak (after der/die/das), mixed (after ein/kein/possessives) and strong (no article). The correct ending depends on the gender of the noun, the case and which article precedes the adjective.
How do I know which adjective ending to use?
Ask: (1) Is there a definite article? → weak endings. (2) Is there an indefinite article or possessive? → mixed. (3) No article? → strong. Then check gender and case.
Do all adjectives before a noun get the same ending?
Yes — if several adjectives come before one noun, they all take the same ending: mit dem alten, müden, kranken Mann (all -en).
How important are adjective endings for speaking?
Very important for exams; less critical in everyday speech where native speakers understand you regardless. But getting them right sounds much more natural.
What does “weak declension” mean in German?
It means the adjective ending is minimal (-e or -en) because the definite article already carries the full gender and case information.
Practise German grammar in real conversations. SipLingo corrects your German as you speak, in your own language. A1 to B2.
