German lesson 4

1. Adjective Endings

German adjectives, like English ones, usually go in front of the noun they modify: "der gute Mann" (the good man), "das große Haus" (the big house/building), "die schöne Dame" (the pretty lady). Unlike English adjectives, a German adjective in front of a noun has to have an ending (-e in the examples above). Just what that ending will be depends on several factors, including gender (der, die, das) and case (nominative, accusative, dative). But most of the time the ending is an -e or an -en (in the plural). With ein-words, the ending varies according to the modified noun's gender (see below).

Look at the following table for the adjective endings in the nominative (subject) case:

With definite article (der, die, das) - Nominative case

der neue Wagen - the new car

die schöne Stadt - the beautiful city

das alte Auto - the old car

die neuen Bücher - the new books

With indefinite article (eine, kein, mein) - Nom. case

ein neuer Wagen - a new car

eine schöne Stadt - a beautiful city

ein altes Auto - an old car

keine neuen Bücher - no new books

Note that with ein-words, since the article may not tell us the gender of the following noun, the adjective ending often does this instead (-es = das, -er = der; see above).

As in English, a German adjective can also come after the verb (predicate adjective): "Das Haus ist groß." (The house is large.) In such cases the adjective will have NO ending.

1. 1. When are adjectives declined, and when not?

• Adjectives must be declined when:
  • used as noun attribute before a noun: ein wichtiges Gespräch (an important conversation).
  • used as noun: das Schwarze (the black) That is a 'substantiviertes Adjektiv' (adjective used as noun).

• Adjectives remain undeclined when:
  • used as phrase adjective - that is either as predicative: Sie ist gut (She's good). Das ist falsch (That's wrong), or adverbially: Sie arbeitet schwer (She's working hard).
  • as attribute of an adjective or adverb: Ein grässlich kalter Wind (A disgusting cold wind).

1. 1. Parallel Declension

When several equivalent attributive adjectives are used, they are declined in parallel. That is sharing of the same ending and comma separator. Examples:

ein breiter, tiefer Graben

eines breiten, überaus tiefen Grabens

auf bestem, holzfreiem, hochglänzendem Papier (on the best grade of pulp free, high gloss, paper)

eine große, nervige und ruhige Hand (a big, sensory, steady, hand)

nach langem, außerordentlich schwerem Leiden.

The last example illustrates the important distinction that an attribute (außerordentlich/extraordinary) of an adjective (schwer/heavy) carries, when compared to adjectives of equal weight. Some distinct differences in sense follow, such as, for example: ein guter, brauchbarer Bericht(a good and usefull report); versus ein gut brauchbarer Bericht(a well usefull report); a report that is useable and good; versus a report well usable (in the sense of suitable).

Note the separation between parallel adjectives, by comma or conjunction. However, these commas, and any conjunction, are omitted when the attributes are to indicate a joint concept with the noun, such as in dunkles bayrisches Bier.

Watch the subtle distinctions! Liegt hinter mancher, alten Burg noch ein Goldschatz begraben? An manch alter Burg sind wir vorbei gekommen (manch being the attribute of alter Burg, meaning several old castles).