Ich habe einen roten Apfel.
English: I have a red apple.
- Language
- German
- Level
- B1
- Unit
- Adjektive und Adverbien
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
Adjektivdeklination means changing the ending of an adjective in German, depending on the noun's gender, number, and case, as well as the article before it.
When to use it
Use adjective endings when an adjective comes before a noun in German. The ending changes depending on the article (der, ein, etc.), the gender (masculine, feminine, neuter), the number (singular, plural), and the case (nominative, accusative, dative, genitive).
Key forms
- ein schöner Tag
- eine große Stadt
- das kleine Kind
- mit einem alten Freund
Examples
Sie trägt ein schönes Kleid.
English: She is wearing a beautiful dress.
Wir wohnen in einer kleinen Wohnung.
English: We live in a small apartment.
Er spricht mit dem netten Lehrer.
English: He speaks with the nice teacher.
Tips
- Always pay attention to the article before the adjective; it affects the ending.
- Remember: the adjective ending changes for each case (nominative, accusative, dative, genitive).
- Don't forget to use an ending even if there is no article (e.g. guter Wein).
Exceptions and edge cases
- If there is no article, adjectives take strong endings.
- After 'etwas', 'nichts', 'viel', 'wenig', adjectives often use strong endings.