Adjective Declension: Full Review
Adjective endings are one of those things in German that can trip you up even after years of study — but they follow a clear, learnable system. The ending on an adjective tells your listener the gender, case, and number of the noun it modifies, which is precisely why German word order can be flexible without causing confusion.
At B1, you have already encountered all three declension types. This lesson brings them together in one complete picture so you can see the underlying pattern, stop second-guessing endings, and use them with real confidence in speech and writing.
The Three Declension Types
Which adjective ending you use depends entirely on what precedes the adjective in the noun phrase.
| Type | When to use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Weak | After a definite article (der, die, das…) | der alte Mann |
| Mixed | After an indefinite article (ein, eine…) or kein/possessives | ein alter Mann |
| Strong | No article before the adjective | alter Mann |
The golden rule: the gender and case signal must appear somewhere in the noun phrase. If the article already shows it clearly (definite articles always do), the adjective uses a soft ending (-e or -en). If the article is weak or absent, the adjective must carry the strong signal itself.
Weak Declension — after definite articles
Use these endings after der / die / das and all their case forms (den, dem, des, etc.).
| Case | Masc | Fem | Neut | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nom | -e | -e | -e | -en |
| Acc | -en | -e | -e | -en |
| Dat | -en | -en | -en | -en |
| Gen | -en | -en | -en | -en |
Memory trick: Only five slots use -e — nominative for all three genders, plus accusative feminine and neuter. Every other slot is -en.
Examples:
- der alte Mann (Nom masc → -e)
- die alte Frau (Nom fem → -e)
- den alten Mann (Acc masc → -en)
- dem alten Kind (Dat neut → -en)
- des alten Mannes (Gen masc → -en)
Mixed Declension — after indefinite articles
Use these endings after ein / eine / kein / mein / dein / sein etc.
| Case | Masc | Fem | Neut | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nom | -er | -e | -es | -en |
| Acc | -en | -e | -es | -en |
| Dat | -en | -en | -en | -en |
| Gen | -en | -en | -en | -en |
Mixed is almost identical to weak — the only differences (bold above) are Nom masc → -er and Nom/Acc neut → -es. Why? Because ein alone cannot distinguish masculine from neuter, so the adjective must show the gender.
Examples:
- ein alter Mann (Nom masc → -er)
- ein altes Kind (Nom neut → -es)
- einen alten Mann (Acc masc → -en)
- einer alten Frau (Dat fem → -en)
Strong Declension — no article
Use these endings when no article precedes the adjective (e.g. after quantities like viel, or in fixed phrases).
| Case | Masc | Fem | Neut | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nom | -er | -e | -es | -e |
| Acc | -en | -e | -es | -e |
| Dat | -em | -er | -em | -en |
| Gen | -en | -er | -en | -er |
Strong endings mirror the definite article: der → -er, die → -e, das → -es, dem → -em, der (Dat fem) → -er. Think of the adjective as playing the role of the missing article.
Examples:
- kalter Kaffee (Nom masc → -er)
- frische Luft (Nom fem → -e)
- kaltes Wasser (Nom/Acc neut → -es)
- mit kaltem Wasser (Dat neut → -em)
📖 Examples
Der alte Mann liest jeden Abend ein Buch.
The old man reads a book every evening.
Ich kaufe einen roten Apfel auf dem Markt.
I buy a red apple at the market.
Sie wohnt in einer kleinen Stadt in Bayern.
She lives in a small town in Bavaria.
Frisches Brot aus der Bäckerei schmeckt am besten.
Fresh bread from the bakery tastes best.
Er trinkt heißen Kaffee ohne Milch.
He drinks hot coffee without milk.
Das ist das Auto meines netten Nachbarn.
That is the car of my nice neighbor.
Mit kalter Milch schmeckt das Müsli viel besser.
Muesli tastes much better with cold milk.
Die kleinen Kinder spielen draußen im Garten.
The little children are playing outside in the garden.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
Ich sehe einen alte Mann.Ich sehe einen alten Mann.
After 'einen' (indefinite article, masc accusative), mixed declension gives -en. The -e ending never appears in the masculine accusative under any declension type.
Er trinkt heißer Kaffee.Er trinkt heißen Kaffee.
Without an article, 'Kaffee' is masculine accusative. The strong masculine accusative ending is -en. The -er ending belongs only in the nominative masculine — not the accusative.
Das Haus des altes Mannes.Das Haus des alten Mannes.
In the genitive case, adjectives always end in -en across all three declension types. Learners often copy the -es from 'des' and 'Mannes' onto the adjective, but -en is always correct here.
Mit frisches Brot schmeckt es besser.Mit frischem Brot schmeckt es besser.
After 'mit', the case is dative. With no article, 'Brot' (neuter) requires the strong dative ending -em on the adjective. English speakers tend to carry the -es from the nominative/accusative over to the dative.
✏️ Exercises
Test your understanding. Click an option or type your answer, then check.
Der _____ Hund bellt die ganze Nacht. (groß)
Ich sehe einen _____ Mann auf der Straße. (alt)
Sie gibt dem _____ Kind ein Geschenk. (klein)
_____ Kaffee schmeckt morgens am besten. (heiß, no article)
Das ist das Haus meines _____ Lehrers. (gut)
Wir kaufen _____ Gemüse auf dem Markt. (frisch, no article)
Die ___ (schön) Blume steht auf dem Tisch.
Er trinkt ___ (kalt) Wasser direkt aus der Flasche.
Ich wohne in einem ___ (alt) Haus in der Stadtmitte.
Mit ___ (frisch) Brot schmeckt die Suppe noch besser.