Choose an ending based on the article, gender, number and case.
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What you will learn
Choose an ending based on the article, gender, number and case.
Adjective endings with and without articles
An adjective before a noun needs an ending: der gute Kaffee. After sein it stays unchanged: Der Kaffee ist gut. First identify case, gender, number and article type. This lesson covers nominative, accusative and dative.
After a definite article, nominative singular takes -e: der gute, die gute, das gute. Masculine accusative takes -en: den guten; die gute and das gute stay the same. Dative and plural after a definite article take -en: mit dem guten Freund, die guten Bücher.
After endingless ein the adjective carries the marking: ein guter Mann, ein gutes Buch. Other forms include eine gute Frau, einen guten Mann and mit einem guten Freund. With plural keine use keine guten Bücher.
Without an article the adjective takes strong endings: guter Kaffee, frische Milch, kaltes Wasser. Masculine accusative is guten Kaffee; neuter dative is mit kaltem Wasser. Dative plural is mit guten Freunden: the adjective ends in -en and the noun usually adds -n.
Rule summary
Form
Example or use
Nominativ maskulin
der gute Mann · ein guter Mann · guter Kaffee
Akkusativ maskulin
den guten Mann · einen guten Mann · guten Kaffee
Nominativ neutral
das gute Buch · ein gutes Buch · kaltes Wasser
Dativ neutral
mit dem kalten Wasser · mit kaltem Wasser
Examples
Der gute Kaffee ist teuer.
Meaning
The good coffee is expensive.
Ein guter Freund hilft mir.
Meaning
A good friend helps me.
Ich kaufe einen roten Mantel.
Meaning
I am buying a red coat.
Ich wasche die Hände mit kaltem Wasser.
Meaning
I wash my hands with cold water.
Lesson exercises
B1 · 10
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Exercise 1 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context and requested tense.
Der ___ Kaffee ist heiß. (gut)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: gute
Why? Answer: gute — After the definite article, nominative singular takes -e here.
Exercise 2 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context and requested tense.
Ich sehe den ___ Mann. (nett)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: netten
Why? Answer: netten — After a definite article or inflected ein, masculine accusative takes -en.
Exercise 3 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context and requested tense.
Ein ___ Mann wartet. (nett)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: netter
Why? Answer: netter — After endingless ein, the adjective carries the gender and case marking.
Exercise 4 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context and requested tense.
Das ist ein ___ Buch. (gut)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: gutes
Why? Answer: gutes — After endingless ein, the adjective carries the gender and case marking.
Exercise 5 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context and requested tense.
Ich kaufe einen ___ Mantel. (rot)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: roten
Why? Answer: roten — After a definite article or inflected ein, masculine accusative takes -en.
Exercise 6 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context and requested tense.
Ich spreche mit der ___ Frau. (nett)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: netten
Why? Answer: netten — Mit requires the dative; after a marked article use -en.
Exercise 7 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context and requested tense.
Ich trinke ___ Kaffee. (gut; ohne Artikel)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: guten
Why? Answer: guten — Without an article the adjective takes the appropriate strong ending.
Exercise 8 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context and requested tense.
___ Wasser ist hier kostenlos. (kalt; ohne Artikel)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: Kaltes
Why? Answer: Kaltes — Without an article the adjective takes the appropriate strong ending.
Exercise 9 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context and requested tense.
Ich wasche die Hände mit ___ Wasser. (kalt; ohne Artikel)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: kaltem
Why? Answer: kaltem — Without an article the adjective takes the appropriate strong ending.
Exercise 10 / 10
Choose the answer that fits the context and requested tense.
Das sind keine ___ Bücher. (alt)
Correct answer ✓Incorrect answer
Correct answer: alten
Why? Answer: alten — After plural keine the adjective takes -en.
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Grammar references for further reading
Original B1 lessons, examples and exercises by WikiGerman. Study in order or choose a topic to review.