When an adjective comes before a noun and adds meaning to it, the adjective must take an ending (Adjektivdeklination). The ending of the adjective depends on three factors: the gender of the noun, the case (Nominativ, Akkusativ, Dativ, Genitiv) and the type of article before the noun. Today's article introduces how to decline adjectives in German.

Let's get started!!!

1. Adjective endings after the definite article (bestimmter Artikel): der, die, das, den, dem,....

	maskulin	feminin	neutral	Plural
Nominativ	-e	-e	-e	-en
Akkusativ	-en	-e	-e	-en
Dativ	-en	-en	-en	-en
Genitiv	-en	-en	-en	-en

Example: Der alte Computer funktioniert nicht. 

(The old computer does not work.)

→ The adjective alt adds meaning to the noun Computer. alt comes after the definite article der (maskulin) and is in the Nominativ. Therefore, looking at the table, we must add the ending -e after the adjective alt: Der alte Computer. 

!!! We can remember the adjective endings after the definite article with this rule: adjectives modifying nouns in the Dativ and Genitiv, masculine nouns in the Akkusativ, and plural nouns in all 4 cases take the ending -en; all the others take the ending -e. 

!!! Some adjectives cannot take endings: 

• In the phrases: das super Konzept, die prima Idee

• The color adjectives lila (purple), rosa (pink)

!!! Names of cities and some regions take -er and are also capitalized: der Hamburger Hafen, Schweizer Käse,....

1. Adjective endings after the indefinite article (unbestimmter Artikel): ein, eine, einem, einen, kein, mein, dein,.....

	maskulin	feminin	neutral	Plural
Nominativ	-er	-e	-es	-en
Akkusativ	-en	-e	-es	-en
Dativ	-en	-en	-en	-en
Genitiv	-en	-en	-en	-en

Example: Paul öffnet sein großes Fenster. 

(Paul opens his big window.)

→ groß is declined according to the indefinite article, neuter (neutral) in the Akkusativ: sein großes Fenster. 

!!! We can remember the adjective endings after the indefinite article with this rule: adjectives modifying nouns in the Dativ and Genitiv, masculine nouns in the Akkusativ, and plural nouns in all 4 cases take the ending -en; all the others are declined according to the gender of the noun. 

1. Adjective endings with no article (ohne Artikel)

	maskulin	feminin	neutral	Plural
Nominativ	-er	-e	-es	-e
Akkusativ	-en	-e	-es	-e
Dativ	-em	-er	-em	-en
Genitiv	-en	-er	-en	-er

Example: Man trägt bunte Hüte. 

(People wear colorful hats.)

→ bunt is declined according to a plural noun in the Akkusativ with no article: bunte Hüte. 

!!! We can remember the adjective endings with no article with this rule: the adjective ending is the same as the ending of the definite article in each case, except that the masculine and neuter Genitiv take -en.