German Adjective Declension – Nominative & Accusative

In German, adjectives change their endings depending on the case, gender, number, and whether the noun has a definite article (der, die, das), an indefinite article (ein, eine), or no article at all. This lesson focuses on the nominative and accusative cases, which are essential for building simple sentences correctly.

You will learn the rules step by step, see charts for each case, and practice with examples and exercises to build confidence.

2. Grammar Rules: Adjective Declension Basics

In German, adjectives take different endings depending on:

• The case (Nominative or Accusative in this lesson)
• The gender of the noun (Masculine, Feminine, Neuter, Plural)
• Whether the noun has a definite article (der, die, das), an indefinite article (ein, eine), or no article

3. Nominative Case – Declension Charts

The nominative case is used for the subject of the sentence. Example: The small dog runs.

With Definite Articles (der/die/das)

With Indefinite Articles (ein/eine)

4. Accusative Case – Declension Charts

The accusative case is used for the direct object of the sentence. Example: I see the small dog.

With Definite Articles (der/die/das)

With Indefinite Articles (ein/eine)

5. Usage Tips – How to Remember Adjective Endings

Learning adjective declension can feel overwhelming at first. These tips will help you focus on the most important points and build confidence step by step:

• 1. Look at the article first. The article (der, ein, keinen, etc.) often tells you the case and gender. → Example: den always signals accusative masculine.
• 2. Definite articles are “easy mode.” With der/die/das, most adjectives just take -e in singular, and -en in plural. → die kleine Katze (the small cat), die kleinen Hunde (the small dogs).
• 3. Masculine accusative is the main exception. Remember: den kleinen Hund (the small dog). That -en ending is very frequent — practice it often.
• 4. Indefinite articles carry less information. That’s why adjectives “take over” more endings. → ein kleiner Hund vs. ein kleines Kind.
• 5. Use color coding or charts. Visual memory helps: mark masculine forms in blue, feminine in red, neuter in green, plural in purple.
• 6. Practice with short phrases. Don’t try to memorize the whole table at once. Instead, repeat simple patterns: → Der kleine Hund läuft. / Ich sehe den kleinen Hund.

📝 Tip: If you’re unsure, always check the article first. The article unlocks the correct adjective ending.

6. Examples & Sentences

Here are practical examples using adjective declension in the nominative and accusative cases. All examples include translations to help you understand the structure.

Nominative Case – Subject

Accusative Case – Direct Object

Indefinite Articles (ein/eine) Examples

💡 Tip: Reading and repeating these sentences will help you internalize adjective endings with different articles and cases.

7. Common Mistakes & Tips

Even beginners can make simple mistakes when using adjective endings. Here are the most frequent ones and how to avoid them:

• 1. Forgetting the ending after definite articles: Example mistake: der klein Hund → Correct: der kleine Hund
• 2. Using the nominative ending in the accusative masculine: Example mistake: Ich sehe der kleine Hund → Correct: Ich sehe den kleinen Hund
• 3. Confusing indefinite articles and adjectives: Example mistake: ein kleine Katze → Correct: eine kleine Katze
• 4. Forgetting plural adjective endings without an article: Example mistake: groß Hunde → Correct: große Hunde
• 5. Mixing genders: Remember to match adjective endings with the gender of the noun, not the speaker's perception.
• 6. Skipping practice with short phrases: Many mistakes happen because learners memorize tables but do not apply them in sentences. Practice makes permanent!

💡 Tip: Always identify the article and case first; then choose the correct adjective ending. This small habit prevents most errors.

8. Practice Exercises – Test Your Knowledge

Complete the exercises below to practice adjective declension in the nominative and accusative cases. Try to apply the rules and tips you have learned.

Exercise 1: Fill in the correct adjective ending

Exercise 2: Choose the correct form

1. Ich sehe ___ Katze.
   • A) die klein
   • B) die kleine ✅
   • C) die kleinen
2. Er hat ___ Kind.
   • A) ein junges ✅
   • B) eine junges
   • C) ein junge
3. Wir hören ___ Vogel singen.
   • A) der schön
   • B) den schönen ✅
   • C) das schöne

Exercise 3: Translate into German

• The small dog is sleeping. → _________________________
• I see a beautiful flower. → _________________________
• The young children play in the park. → _________________________
• He pets the big dog. → _________________________

💡 Tip: Check the article first, determine the case, then apply the correct adjective ending.

9. Summary & Key Points

Let’s review the most important points from this lesson on adjective declension – nominative & accusative:

• Articles first: Always check the article (der, die, das, ein, eine) to identify case and gender.
• Definite articles: Adjectives usually take -e in singular and -en in plural.
• Masculine accusative: The main exception: den kleinen Hund.
• Indefinite articles: Adjectives carry more endings because the article gives less information. → Example: ein kleiner Hund, ein kleines Kind
• Plural without article: Adjectives take -e or -en depending on context: keine kleinen Hunde.
• Practice regularly: Reading, writing, and repeating short phrases is the fastest way to internalize adjective endings.
• Common mistakes: Forgetting endings, confusing masculine accusative, mixing genders, or skipping practice.

💡 Tip: Build a small routine: identify the article → determine the case → apply the correct adjective ending → check your sentence. Repeat with simple sentences daily for mastery.

10. Quiz – Test Your Knowledge

Try the exercises below to check your understanding of adjective declension in the nominative and accusative cases. All answers are hidden in <details> tags.

QCM – Multiple Choice

1. Ich sehe ___ Hund.
   • A) der klein
   • B) den kleinen
   • C) das kleine
   Answer

   B) den kleinen → I see the small dog.
2. Sie kauft ___ Blume.
   • A) eine schön
   • B) eine schöne
   • C) ein schöne
   Answer

   B) eine schöne → She buys a beautiful flower.
3. Wir hören ___ Kinder spielen.
   • A) die jung
   • B) die jungen
   • C) der jungen
   Answer

   B) die jungen → We hear the young children playing.

True or False – Nominative vs Accusative

• In the nominative masculine, the definite article is der and the adjective ending is usually -e.
  Answer

  True
• In the accusative masculine, the article changes to den and the adjective ending becomes -en.
  Answer

  True
• Indefinite articles always make the adjective ending -e.
  Answer

  False

Fill in the blank

• Ich sehe den klein___ Hund.
  Answer

  den kleinen → I see the small dog.
• Sie hat eine schön___ Blume gekauft.
  Answer

  schöne → She bought a beautiful flower.
• Ein jung___ Kind spielt im Park.
  Answer

  junges → A young child is playing in the park.
• Die groß___ Hunde schlafen draußen.
  Answer

  großen → The big dogs are sleeping outside.

Translation – English → German

• The small dog is running.
  Answer

  Der kleine Hund läuft.
• I see a beautiful flower.
  Answer

  Ich sehe eine schöne Blume.
• The young children play in the park.
  Answer

  Die jungen Kinder spielen im Park.
• He pets the big dog.
  Answer

  Er streichelt den großen Hund.

💡 Tip: Identify the article first, determine the case, and then apply the correct adjective ending. Use these exercises to reinforce your knowledge.