Quick Overview Table
The table below summarizes how the “Determiner + Adjective” (Definite/Indefinite Article + adjective) structure is declined for masculine, feminine, neuter, and plural forms (Nom., Acc., Dat., Gen.). For more details and examples, please continue reading.
| Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Nom.) | r + e | e + e | s + e | e + n |
| Accusative (Acc.) | n + en | e + e | s + e | e + n |
| Dative (Dat.) | m + en | r + en | m + en | n + en |
| Genitive (Gen.) | s + en | r + en | s + en | r + en |
Introduction
In German, nouns are divided into three grammatical genders (masculine, feminine, neuter) and take different articles depending on their role in the sentence (Nominative, Accusative, Dative). On this page, we will learn these cases in detail.
English Note: In English, the article “the” never changes form. However, in German, articles change depending on the case and gender of the noun. This may seem confusing at first, but with practice, it becomes more natural.
What are Nominative, Accusative, Dative?
-
Nominative (Subject Case): Indicates the subject of the sentence.
Example: Der Hund bellt. (The dog barks.) -
Accusative (Object Case): Indicates the direct object of the sentence (Whom? What?).
Example: Ich sehe den Hund. (I see the dog.) -
Dative (Indirect Object Case): Indicates the indirect object of the sentence (To whom? For what?).
Example: Ich gebe dem Hund Wasser. (I give the dog water.)
- For masculine nouns, the article changes from der in the nominative to den in the accusative, and to dem in the dative.
- Feminine (die) and neuter (das) articles remain the same in the accusative (die → die, das → das), but change in the dative (to der and dem respectively).
- The plural article (die) in the dative becomes den (with an added -n to the noun): den Kindern, den Häusern, etc.
1) Definite Articles (Der-Die-Das) + Adjective Declension
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der alte Mann | die alte Frau | das alte Kind | die alten Häuser |
| Accusative | den alten Mann | die alte Frau | das alte Kind | die alten Häuser |
| Dative | dem alten Mann | der alten Frau | dem alten Kind | den alten Häusern |
Example Sentence: “Ich sehe den alten Mann.”
English Translation: “I see the old man.”
Additional Examples (Everyday Usage):
• Die kleine Katze schläft. (The little cat is sleeping.) [Nominative]
• Ich kaufe den roten Apfel. (I buy the red apple.) [Accusative]
• Wir helfen dem alten Nachbarn. (We help the old neighbor.) [Dative]
2) Indefinite Articles (ein, kein, mein, etc.) + Adjective Declension
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural (*kein, meine, etc.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ein alter Mann | eine alte Frau | ein altes Kind | keine alten Häuser |
| Accusative | einen alten Mann | eine alte Frau | ein altes Kind | keine alten Häuser |
| Dative | einem alten Mann | einer alten Frau | einem alten Kind | keinen alten Häusern |
Example Sentence: “Ich kaufe einen alten Schinken.”
English Translation: “I buy an old ham.”
Additional Examples (Everyday Usage):
• Ich habe einen kleinen Hund. (I have a small dog.) [Accusative]
• Sie schenkt einer guten Freundin Blumen. (She gives flowers to a good friend.) [Dative]
• Wir suchen ein neues Auto. (We are looking for a new car.) [Accusative]
3) Zero Article (Adjective + Noun Only) Declension
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | alter Mann | alte Frau | altes Kind | alte Häuser |
| Accusative | alten Mann | alte Frau | altes Kind | alte Häuser |
| Dative | altem Mann | alter Frau | altem Kind | alten Häusern |
Example Sentence: “Ich spreche mit altem Mann.”
English Translation: “I speak with an old man.”
Additional Examples (Everyday Usage):
• Wir essen frisches Brot. (We eat fresh bread.) [Accusative]
• Er fährt mit neuem Fahrrad. (He rides a new bicycle.) [Dative]
• Ich trinke kaltes Wasser. (I drink cold water.) [Accusative]
Tips & Trick Questions
- For masculine nouns, when moving to the accusative, the article changes (e.g., der → den, ein → einen).
- In the plural dative, a suffix -n is usually added to the noun: “den Kindern, den Häusern”, etc.
- For feminine and neuter nouns, the nominative and accusative forms are identical: die → die, das → das.
- Adjective declensions change based on the information provided by the articles (weak/mixed/strong declension).
-
Use dative for “Where?” and accusative for “Where to?”
Example: Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch. (Where to? Accusative) vs. Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch. (Where? Dative)
Additional Example Sentences (German & English)
German: “Ich gebe dem Kind ein Buch.”
English: “I give a book to the child.” (Dative: dem Kind)
German: “Wir sehen den Film.”
English: “We watch the movie.” (Accusative: den Film)
German: “Der Tisch ist rund.”
English: “The table is round.” (Nominative: der Tisch)
German: “Ich gebe meiner Schwester das Geld.”
English: “I give my sister the money.” (Dative: meiner Schwester)
German: “Sie kauft einen neuen Computer.”
English: “She buys a new computer.” (Accusative: einen neuen Computer)
Quiz Area
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