{"id":280,"date":"2026-11-01T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-11-01T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siplingo.com\/blog\/?p=280"},"modified":"2026-10-31T09:09:35","modified_gmt":"2026-10-31T09:09:35","slug":"german-adjective-endings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siplingo.com\/blog\/german-adjective-endings\/","title":{"rendered":"German Adjective Endings: The 3 Tables, Simply Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

German adjective endings are the part of grammar that learners dread most. When you say ein kleines Kind<\/em> (a small child) or mit dem alten Mann<\/em> (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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why adjective endings change<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In German, one word in a noun phrase must show the gender and case<\/strong>. Normally the article does this (der, die, das<\/em>). 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This gives three situations:
\n1. After a definite article<\/strong> (der, die, das, den, dem, des<\/em>) \u2014 article shows gender, adjective ending is minimal (weak)
\n2. After an indefinite article<\/strong> (ein, eine<\/em>) or negation (kein<\/em>) or possessives (mein, dein, sein<\/em>\u2026) \u2014 partially weak, partially strong
\n3. No article at all<\/strong> \u2014 adjective must show full gender signal (strong)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Table 1: after the definite article (weak endings)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Use this table after der, die, das, die (pl)<\/em> and their declined forms (den, dem, des, der, den, der<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Case<\/th>Masculine<\/th>Feminine<\/th>Neuter<\/th>Plural<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Nominative<\/td>der alte<\/strong> Mann<\/td>die alte<\/strong> Frau<\/td>das alte<\/strong> Kind<\/td>die alten<\/strong> Kinder<\/td><\/tr>
Accusative<\/td>den alten<\/strong> Mann<\/td>die alte<\/strong> Frau<\/td>das alte<\/strong> Kind<\/td>die alten<\/strong> Kinder<\/td><\/tr>
Dative<\/td>dem alten<\/strong> Mann<\/td>der alten<\/strong> Frau<\/td>dem alten<\/strong> Kind<\/td>den alten<\/strong> Kindern<\/td><\/tr>
Genitive<\/td>des alten<\/strong> Mannes<\/td>der alten<\/strong> Frau<\/td>des alten<\/strong> Kindes<\/td>der alten<\/strong> Kinder<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Pattern:<\/strong> mostly -en<\/strong>, with -e<\/strong> only in five positions \u2014 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”<\/em>, you have it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Table 2: after the indefinite article (mixed endings)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Use this table after ein\/eine\/ein<\/em> (and its declined forms), kein\/keine<\/em>, and all possessive articles: mein, dein, sein, ihr, unser, euer, Ihr<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Case<\/th>Masculine<\/th>Feminine<\/th>Neuter<\/th>Plural<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Nominative<\/td>ein alter<\/strong> Mann<\/td>eine alte<\/strong> Frau<\/td>ein altes<\/strong> Kind<\/td>meine alten<\/strong> Kinder<\/td><\/tr>
Accusative<\/td>einen alten<\/strong> Mann<\/td>eine alte<\/strong> Frau<\/td>ein altes<\/strong> Kind<\/td>meine alten<\/strong> Kinder<\/td><\/tr>
Dative<\/td>einem alten<\/strong> Mann<\/td>einer alten<\/strong> Frau<\/td>einem alten<\/strong> Kind<\/td>meinen alten<\/strong> Kindern<\/td><\/tr>
Genitive<\/td>eines alten<\/strong> Mannes<\/td>einer alten<\/strong> Frau<\/td>eines alten<\/strong> Kindes<\/td>meiner alten<\/strong> Kinder<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Pattern:<\/strong> the “strong” endings (-er, -e, -es<\/em>) appear in the nominative singular and in the accusative feminine and neuter. Everywhere else: -en<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why? Because ein<\/em>, kein<\/em> and possessives have no ending in nominative masculine (ein Mann<\/em>, not ein<\/em>e<\/em> Mann<\/em>) and neuter (ein Kind<\/em>, kein Kind<\/em>) \u2014 so the adjective must supply the signal: ein alt<\/em>er<\/em> Mann<\/em>, ein alt<\/em>es<\/em> Kind<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Table 3: no article (strong endings)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Use this when there is no article at all \u2014 coffee with milk, fresh bread, good friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Case<\/th>Masculine<\/th>Feminine<\/th>Neuter<\/th>Plural<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Nominative<\/td>alter<\/strong> Wein<\/td>alte<\/strong> Milch<\/td>altes<\/strong> Brot<\/td>alte<\/strong> Freunde<\/td><\/tr>
Accusative<\/td>alten<\/strong> Wein<\/td>alte<\/strong> Milch<\/td>altes<\/strong> Brot<\/td>alte<\/strong> Freunde<\/td><\/tr>
Dative<\/td>altem<\/strong> Wein<\/td>alter<\/strong> Milch<\/td>altem<\/strong> Brot<\/td>alten<\/strong> Freunden<\/td><\/tr>
Genitive<\/td>alten<\/strong> Weines<\/td>alter<\/strong> Milch<\/td>alten<\/strong> Brotes<\/td>alter<\/strong> Freunde<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Pattern:<\/strong> these endings look like the endings of der\/die\/das<\/em> itself \u2014 the adjective is “borrowing” the article’s job. The ending matches the last letter of the definite article (der \u2192 -er, die \u2192 -e, das \u2192 -es, den \u2192 -en, dem \u2192 -em<\/em>). The exception is the masculine and neuter genitive, which take -en<\/em> (not -es<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A memory trick: borrow the article’s signal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Look at the endings of der\/die\/das<\/em>:
\n– der \u2192 -r<\/em> \u2192 adjective takes -er<\/em> (no article, masc. nom.)
\n– die \u2192 -e<\/em> \u2192 adjective takes -e<\/em> (no article, fem. nom.)
\n– das \u2192 -s<\/em> \u2192 adjective takes -es<\/em> (no article, neut. nom.)
\n– dem \u2192 -m<\/em> \u2192 adjective takes -em<\/em> (no article, dative)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The adjective takes the signal that the article would have given if one were present (genitive masculine\/neuter is the one exception).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Multiple adjectives before a noun<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

All adjectives in a row take the same ending<\/strong> as if there were only one:<\/p>\n\n\n\n