CEFR A2
What you will learn
- Recognise the pattern taught in “German adjective declension A2: complete tables” in a short example.
- Choose the appropriate form from “German adjective declension A2: complete tables” using explicit evidence.
- Apply and justify the rule from “German adjective declension A2: complete tables” in a new case.
Before you start
- Recognise the vocabulary and forms shown in this lesson’s key idea and paradigm.
The idea
The adjective ending shares case, gender and number information with the determiner: a definite article, an ein-word or no article trigger three different patterns.
An attributive adjective precedes its noun and inflects: ein kalter Morgen. A predicative adjective after sein, werden or bleiben does not take these endings: Der Morgen ist kalt. Do not mix the two functions.
With a definite article or equivalent, the determiner already displays substantial information and the adjective follows the weak series. It is inaccurate to say merely “almost always -en”: nominative singular takes -e in all three genders, and feminine/neuter accusative also take -e; the remaining cells take -en.
With an ein-series determiner, some determiner forms do not display gender/case and the adjective recovers that information: ein neuer Mantel, ein neues Hemd. This is the mixed series. Where the determiner already has a visible ending, the adjective commonly takes -en, with feminine nominative/accusative in -e.
Without an article, the adjective generally carries the strong signal: guter Kaffee, kaltes Wasser, mit frischer Milch. The tables include all four cases and separate masculine, neuter, feminine and plural. Decide in this order: attributive function → determiner type → case → gender/number. Genitive is included as a complete reference paradigm, although free production lies beyond this unit's communicative core.
Weak with the definite article
| Item | Form |
|---|---|
| N | der gut-e · das gut-e · die gut-e · die gut-en |
| A | den gut-en · das gut-e · die gut-e · die gut-en |
| D | dem gut-en · dem gut-en · der gut-en · den gut-en |
| G | des gut-en · des gut-en · der gut-en · der gut-en |
Mixed with ein-words
| Item | Form |
|---|---|
| N | ein gut-er · ein gut-es · eine gut-e · keine gut-en |
| A | einen gut-en · ein gut-es · eine gut-e · keine gut-en |
| D | einem gut-en · einem gut-en · einer gut-en · keinen gut-en |
| G | eines gut-en · eines gut-en · einer gut-en · keiner gut-en |
Strong without an article
| Item | Form |
|---|---|
| N | gut-er · gut-es · gut-e · gut-e |
| A | gut-en · gut-es · gut-e · gut-e |
| D | gut-em · gut-em · gut-er · gut-en |
| G | gut-en · gut-en · gut-er · gut-er |
How it sounds
- Dieser kleine Laden ist neu.kleine is attributive and weak; neu is predicative and uninflected.
- Wir brauchen ein ruhiges Zimmer.ein does not mark neuter accusative; the mixed adjective supplies -es.
- Sie fährt mit öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln.Without an article, strong plural dative ends in -en.
Check objective 1Another case
A proposed answer is “runde” for this case: “Wir kaufen den runde Tisch. (rund)”. Choose the only valid form.
A proposed answer is “runder” for this case: “Wir kaufen den runder Tisch. (rund)”. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: runden — Here, den marks masculine accusative and triggers weak declension; that cell ends in -en.
den marks masculine accusative and triggers weak declension; that cell ends in -en.
Answer: runden — Here, den marks masculine accusative and triggers weak declension; that cell ends in -en.
den marks masculine accusative and triggers weak declension; that cell ends in -en.
Check objective 2Another case
A proposed answer is “alt” for this case: “Sie wohnt in einem alt Haus. (alt)”. Choose the only valid form.
A proposed answer is “altes” for this case: “Sie wohnt in einem altes Haus. (alt)”. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: alten — The preposition in expresses location here and requires dative; with einem, mixed declension uses -en: alten.
in expresses location here and requires dative; with einem, mixed declension uses -en: alten.
Answer: alten — The preposition in expresses location here and requires dative; with einem, mixed declension uses -en: alten.
in expresses location here and requires dative; with einem, mixed declension uses -en: alten.
Check objective 3Another case
A proposed answer is “Warmen” for this case: “Warmen Tee hilft mir morgens. (warm, sin artículo)”. Choose the only valid form.
A proposed answer is “Warmes” for this case: “Warmes Tee hilft mir morgens. (warm, sin artículo)”. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: Warmer — Without an article, Tee is masculine nominative and the adjective takes strong ending -er.
Without an article, Tee is masculine nominative and the adjective takes strong ending -er.
Answer: Warmer — Without an article, Tee is masculine nominative and the adjective takes strong ending -er.
Without an article, Tee is masculine nominative and the adjective takes strong ending -er.
When it doesn't hold
What breaks the rule, said out loud. Hiding it is what makes you feel cheated in the exam.
- Adjectives in -el and -er drop that e when declined: teuer gives teure.eine teure Wohnung
- rosa, lila and beige never decline, and that is not carelessness.ein rosa Kleid
- City adjectives ending in -er are capitalised and never change.die Berliner Mauer
What your own language pushes you to say
Wrong Ich fahre einen neu Wagen.
Right Ich fahre einen neuen Wagen.
English adjectives never change for anything —new car, new cars, with the new car— so there is no habit at all of looking at the noun before writing the adjective.
Challenge: apply every rule
Solve every case and justify each choice: 1) A proposed answer is “runde” for this case: “Wir kaufen den runde Tisch. (rund)”. Choose the only valid form. 2) A proposed answer is “runden” for this case: “Sie wohnt in einem runden Haus. (alt)”. Choose the only valid form. 3) A proposed answer is “Warmen” for this case: “Warmen Tee hilft mir morgens. (warm, sin artículo)”. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
- Recognise the pattern taught in “German adjective declension A2: complete tables” in a short example.
- Choose the appropriate form from “German adjective declension A2: complete tables” using explicit evidence.
- Apply and justify the rule from “German adjective declension A2: complete tables” in a new case.
Answer: runden · alten · Warmer
den marks masculine accusative and triggers weak declension; that cell ends in -en. in expresses location here and requires dative; with einem, mixed declension uses -en: alten. Without an article, Tee is masculine nominative and the adjective takes strong ending -er.
Continue along this corridor
Practise this: The adjective in front of the noun: when -e and when -enGerman comparative and superlative A2