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A2 · SUPPLEMENTARY GRAMMAR PRACTICE

Adjective ending patterns with der ein and no article

An attributive adjective before a noun changes with case, gender, number and determiner. Each table cell lists adjective endings for masculine, feminine, neuter and plural in that order. After sein, the adjective has no declension ending. The ein pattern includes possessive determiners and kein; ordinary ein has no plural, so the listed plural endings apply to forms such as meine and keine. Without a determiner, the adjective carries more case information. Examples: der gute Kaffee, ein guter Kaffee, guter Kaffee; den guten Kaffee, einen guten Kaffee, guten Kaffee.

Reference

CaseAfter der type: m / f / n / plAfter ein type: m / f / n / plNo determiner: m / f / n / pl
Nominative-e / -e / -e / -en-er / -e / -es / -en-er / -e / -es / -e
Accusative-en / -e / -e / -en-en / -e / -es / -en-en / -e / -es / -e
Dative-en / -en / -en / -en-en / -en / -en / -en-em / -er / -em / -en
Genitive-en / -en / -en / -en-en / -en / -en / -en-en / -er / -en / -er

Try four exercises

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1. Das ist ein ___ Tisch.
Answer and explanation

kleiner

Masculine nominative after ein needs kleiner.

2. Ich kaufe den ___ Tisch.
Answer and explanation

kleinen

After den, the adjective takes -en.

3. Mit einem ___ Kind spreche ich.
Answer and explanation

kleinen

Dative after einem uses adjective ending -en.

4. Der Tisch ist ___.
Answer and explanation

klein

A descriptive adjective after ist has no declension ending.

Use it yourself

Write or say two new sentences using this pattern. Compare the forms and word order with the reference above.

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