Chapter 26: Adjectives (Adjektive)

Introduction

Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns by providing more information about qualities such as color, size, shape, emotion, and other attributes. In German, adjectives are highly important because they add detail and precision to your sentences.

Unlike English, German adjectives change their endings (are declined) depending on the gender, number, and case of the noun they describe, as well as whether the noun is preceded by a definite or indefinite article, or no article at all. Mastering adjectives helps you create vivid and accurate descriptions, crucial for both writing and speaking.

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Vocabulary

German Adjective	English Meaning	Example Sentence
groß	big, tall	Der Baum ist groß. (The tree is tall.)
klein	small	Das Haus ist klein. (The house is small.)
schön	beautiful, nice	Die Blume ist schön. (The flower is beautiful.)
alt	old	Mein Auto ist alt. (My car is old.)
jung	young	Er ist jung. (He is young.)
neu	new	Ich habe ein neues Buch. (I have a new book.)
schnell	fast	Der Hund läuft schnell. (The dog runs fast.)
langsam	slow	Das Auto fährt langsam. (The car drives slowly.)
interessant	interesting	Der Film ist interessant. (The film is interesting.)
gut	good	Das Essen schmeckt gut. (The food tastes good.)

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Theory & Grammar

Adjective Declension Overview

German adjectives change their endings depending on:

1. The case of the noun they modify (Nominative, Accusative, Dative, Genitive).

2. The gender of the noun (masculine, feminine, neuter).

3. Whether the noun is singular or plural.

4. The type of article before the noun:

   • Definite articles (der, die, das)
   • Indefinite articles (ein, eine, ein)
   • No article (strong declension)

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Types of Declensions

Article Type	Example	Adjective Declension Type
Definite article	der große Hund	Weak declension
Indefinite article	ein großer Hund	Mixed declension
No article	großer Hund	Strong declension

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Weak Declension (after definite articles)

Case	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Plural
Nominative	der große Hund	die große Katze	das große Haus	die großen Häuser
Accusative	den großen Hund	die große Katze	das große Haus	die großen Häuser
Dative	dem großen Hund	der großen Katze	dem großen Haus	den großen Häusern
Genitive	des großen Hundes	der großen Katze	des großen Hauses	der großen Häuser

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Mixed Declension (after indefinite articles)

Case	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Plural
Nominative	ein großer Hund	eine große Katze	ein großes Haus	keine großen Häuser
Accusative	einen großen Hund	eine große Katze	ein großes Haus	keine großen Häuser
Dative	einem großen Hund	einer großen Katze	einem großen Haus	keinen großen Häusern
Genitive	eines großen Hundes	einer großen Katze	eines großen Hauses	keiner großen Häuser

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Strong Declension (no article)

Case	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Plural
Nominative	großer Hund	große Katze	großes Haus	große Häuser
Accusative	großen Hund	große Katze	großes Haus	große Häuser
Dative	großem Hund	großer Katze	großem Haus	großen Häusern
Genitive	großen Hundes	großer Katze	großen Hauses	großer Häuser

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Vocabulary: Thematic Word Lists with Examples

Adjective	Theme	German Example	English Translation
lecker	Food	Das Essen ist lecker.	The food is tasty.
kalt	Weather	Heute ist es kalt.	Today it is cold.
freundlich	Personality	Sie ist sehr freundlich.	She is very friendly.
stark	Strength	Er ist stark.	He is strong.
glücklich	Emotion	Ich bin glücklich.	I am happy.
teuer	Price	Das Auto ist teuer.	The car is expensive.

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Usage & Context

• Adjectives are used to describe nouns and make sentences more expressive.
• The adjective endings help identify the gender, case, and number of the noun.
• Proper adjective declension is crucial for clarity and grammatical correctness in German.
• In everyday communication, adjectives often appear in descriptions, comparisons, and opinions.

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Practical Examples

Sentence Examples:

• Der rote Apfel schmeckt gut. (The red apple tastes good.)
• Eine schöne Blume wächst im Garten. (A beautiful flower grows in the garden.)
• Ich habe ein interessantes Buch gelesen. (I read an interesting book.)
• Große Häuser sind teuer. (Big houses are expensive.)

Dialogue Example:

• A: Wie findest du das neue Auto?
• B: Es ist wirklich schnell und modern!
• A: Ja, aber ich finde es etwas teuer.
• B: Stimmt, aber es ist auch sehr komfortabel.

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Exercises

1. Fill in the blanks with correct adjective endings:

• Ich sehe einen ___ (groß) Hund.
• Das ist eine ___ (schön) Blume.
• Wir wohnen in einem ___ (alt) Haus.
• Er trägt einen ___ (rot) Mantel.
• Die ___ (kalt) Luft ist frisch.

2. Translate the sentences into German using adjectives and correct endings:

• The small cat is friendly.
• I have a new book.
• She lives in a big city.
• The cold weather is bad today.
• We eat delicious food.

3. Identify the adjective declension type (weak, mixed, strong) in these sentences:

• Der gute Lehrer erklärt alles klar.
• Ein schöner Tag beginnt.
• Kaltes Wasser ist gesund.

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Flashcards

Question	Answer
What three factors determine adjective endings?	Gender, case, and article type
What is weak declension?	Adjective endings after definite articles
How do you decline adjectives after indefinite articles?	Mixed declension
What happens to adjective endings when no article is present?	Strong declension
Give an example of an adjective with strong declension.	Großer Hund, kaltes Wasser

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Workbook (Summary & Practice)

Summary:

• Adjectives describe nouns and change endings based on gender, case, and article type.
• Three main declension types: weak (after definite articles), mixed (after indefinite articles), and strong (no article).
• Learning adjective endings is key to proper German grammar and clear communication.

Practice:

• Decline the adjective schön (beautiful) in all cases and genders with definite articles.
• Write 5 sentences describing your family or home using adjectives.
• Create a short paragraph describing your favorite season or city using adjectives and correct endings.

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Multimedia Resources

• YouTube:

  • German Adjective Endings Explained
  • Adjective Declension Practice

• Websites:

  • German.net – Adjective Declension
  • DW Learn German – Adjectives

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Speaking Help

• Practice describing people, places, and things using adjectives with correct endings.
• Use adjectives in short sentences and compare objects (größer als, kleiner als).
• Try role-playing exercises like describing your room, your favorite food, or your family.

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Cultural Notes (Optional)

• Germans often use compound adjectives to create new descriptive words, such as wunderschön (wonderfully beautiful).
• Precision in description is valued, so mastering adjectives helps sound natural and fluent.

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Review Section

Quiz

1. What determines the ending of a German adjective?
2. Name the three types of adjective declension.
3. How do you decline adjectives after definite articles?
4. Provide the nominative masculine singular form of groß with an indefinite article.
5. Translate: The cold water is fresh.

Key Takeaways

• Adjective endings depend on gender, case, number, and article type.
• There are three declension patterns: weak, mixed, and strong.
• Correct adjective declension is essential for clear, grammatically correct German.

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