Declension Table: Adjective Endings
The table provides an overview of adjective endings for
the declension\inflection of German attributive adjectives.
indefinite article, kein,
definite
possessive no article
article*
determiner (Mein…)
m f/n Pl m f n Pl m f n Pl
-
Nominativ -e -e -er -e -es -en -er -e -es -e
en
-
Genitiv -en -en -en -en -er
er
- - - -
Dativ -en -en
em er em en
- -
Akkusativ -e -en -e -es -en -en -e -es -e
en en
*Adjectives that come after the following words are declined exactly the same as
after the definite article: derselbe, dieser, jener, mancher, solcher, welcher,
alle.
Exceptions to the rule
When the adjective ends in -e, we don’t add a second -e.
Example:
leise – ein leiser Junge (not: )
When the adjective ends in -el, we remove the -e from -el
Example:
dunkel – ein dunkler Wald (not: )
We usually remove the -e from adjectives that end in a vowel + -
er. We also remove the -e in many foreign words.
Example:
teuer – ein teures Hotel (nicht: )
makaber – eine makabre Geschichte (nicht: )
The adjective hoch is irregular: we remove the -c for
the attributive adjective.
Example:
hoch – ein hohes Haus (not: )
Declension Tables: Attributive Adjectives in
German Grammar
The declension tables below provides an overview of the declension of
adjectives with the definite, indefinite and no article in all four
German cases.
Adjectives with Masculine Nouns
definite article indefinite article no article
nominative der nette Vater ein netter Vater netter Vater
genitive des netten Vaters eines netten Vaters netten Vaters
dative dem netten Vater einem netten Vater nettem Vater
accusative den netten Vater einen netten Vater netten Vater
Adjectives with Feminine Nouns
definite article indefinite article no article
nominative die nette Mutter eine nette Mutter nette Mutter
genitive der netten Mutter einer netten Mutter netter Mutter
dative der netten Mutter einer netten Mutter netter Mutter
accusative die nette Mutter eine nette Mutter nette Mutter
Adjectives with Neuter Nouns
definite article indefinite article no article
nominative das nette Kind ein nettes Kind nettes Kind
genitive des netten Kindes eines netten Kindes netten Kindes
dative dem netten Kind einem netten Kind nettem Kind
accusative das nette Kind ein nettes Kind nettes Kind
Adjectives with Plural Nouns
definite article no article
nominative die netten Eltern nette Eltern
genitive der netten Eltern netter Eltern
dative den netten Eltern netten Eltern
accusative die netten Eltern nette Eltern
Comparative and Superlative Adjectives in German Grammar
1.Positive Adjectives
The positive form is the basic form of the adjective. We use it in
the comparative expression so … wie.
Example:
Maria läuft so schnell wie Susanne.
Other comparative expressions which use positive adjectives are:
genauso … wie
nicht so … wie
fast so … wie
doppelt so … wie
halb so … wie
2.Comparative Adjectives
The comparative is the first form of comparison. The ending -er is
added to the adjective and the sentences is constructed
with als (than).
Example:
Friederike läuft schneller als Maria.
In German, all comparative adjectives are formed with -er. They differ
from English comparative forms in that they are never formed with the
word mehr (more).
Example:
interessant → interessanter
but not:
3.Superlative Adjectives
The superlative is the highest form of comparison. We put am or
the definite article in front of the adjective, and add -ste(n) to the end.
The formation is the same for all adjectives regardless of how many
syllables they have.
Example:
Friederike läuft am schnellsten.
Sie ist die schnellste Läuferin.
Exceptions to the Rule
General Exceptions
Adjectives that end with -d/-t or -s/-ß/-x/-z usually form
the superlative with -est.
Example:
laut – lauter – am lautesten
heiß – heißer – am heißesten
Monosyllabic adjectives often form the comparative with
an umlaut.
Example:
jung – jünger – am jüngsten
Some adjectives have irregular comparative forms (see table).
Example:
gut – besser – am besten
Table of Irregular Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
irregular comparative forms
positive comparative superlative
gut besser best-
viel mehr meist-
nah näher nächst-
hoch höher höchst-
groß größer größt-
Attributive Adjectives
Attributive adjectives have to be declined in all comparative
forms. To do this, we add the ending for the comparative form,
then the ending for the declension. Attributive adjectives always
form the superlative with the definite article.
Example:
der kleine Junge/der kleinere Junge/der kleinste Junge
ein kleiner Junge/ein kleinerer Junge/der kleinste Junge
Adverbial/Predicative Adjectives
Adverbial adjectives always form the superlative with am and the
ending -sten.
Example:
wichtig – wichtiger – am wichtigsten
Predicative adjectives can form the superlative not only
with am but also with the definite article. When using the definite
article, we add the ending -ste to the adjective.
Example:
Diese Aufgabe ist am wichtigsten.
Diese Aufgabe ist die wichtigste.
