Declination of adjectives in German

Declination of adjectives in German seems very complicated. Particularly affected by those who studied English: in it, as we know, adjectives are not inclined at all. However, if you compare the German language with the Russian, it turns out that everything is not so scary.

In the Russian language, declination of adjectives is carried out in three basic types, and in the first there are three more varieties: a hard, soft and mixed variant of declination. The latter has three more types, depending on the last consonant in the root.

A detailed introduction to the rules of the Russian language helps most learners to understand the German declension of adjectives faster and easier. German after such an acquaintance seems simpler and more understandable, and even sympathy appears for those who are forced to teach this "terrible" Russian.

There is one fundamental difference: if in Russian the declension of adjectives depends on the word itself (from its kind, number and case), then in German, in addition, also from the article, which, as is well known, does not have analogs in Russian.

Declination of German adjectives can be divided into three types:

1. Weak - it is really "weak", the form of the adjective almost does not change. This declension is applied after a definite article-the article changes fundamentally.
2. Strong declination - after an indefinite article and pronouns, meaning some "uncertainty".
3. Mixed declension - if the article is missing.

Here we consider the weak declension of adjectives

His rules are quite simple. As you can see in the table, most adjectives get the ending -en, the rest end in -e. This type of declination is inherent only in adjectives, which are used after:

• The definite article (der, die, das).
• After pronouns that are analogous to a particular actor: diser (this), jener (that), jeder (everyone), welcher, solcher, mancher, derselbe (the same), derjenige (the same). Of course, these demonstrative pronouns also vary by birth. Here they are all given in the masculine gender.

When studying this information, pay attention to how the endings of certain articles and nouns change. As you can see, declining adjectives is the easiest to remember. Another important point is the column "Plural". In this number, according to the weak type, adjectives tend, which stand after the following words:

• The definite article (der, die, das).
• The same pronouns that are mentioned above, and some others. Of course, these plural pronouns will have other forms: diese, jede, welche, alle, beide, solche, manche, dieselben, Most), diejenigen (the same ones), sämtliche (all).
• And also (note!) After the pronoun kein and such as mein (mine), unser (our), and other possessive pronouns. Here arises a natural question about how the adjectives in the singular are inclined after such pronouns? For example, how will meine schöne Frau (my beautiful woman) in the dative case? We answer: in any directory, look at the table of mixed declension, because after these pronouns adjectives in units of. Number tend to be of a mixed type.

  	M. Genus	F. Clan	Cf. Clan	Multiple number
  N	Der alt e Mann	Die schön e Frau	Das neu e Haus	Die breit en Fenster
  G	Des alt en Mann es	Der schön en Frau	Des neu en Hauses	Der breit en Fenster
  D	Dem alt en Mann	Der schön en Frau	Dem neu en Haus	Den breit en Fenster n
  A	Den alt en Mann	Die schön e Frau	Das neu e Haus	Die breit en Fenster

After that, in any German directory look at the other tables:

1. Declension of adjectives in the singular in the absence of the article (strong declination).
2. Table of declension of adjectives in the singular after an indefinite article (mixed declination).
3. It is also worthwhile to look separately at the declension of adjectives in the plural, although it can also refer to the two types already mentioned: the weak and the strong. After the indefinite (weak declension - we have already brought it to the table) and a definite article (strong declination).
4. Declension of substantivized adjectives.

Note that in declensions of adjectives, there are patterns: somewhere, one way or another, there must be an end to a certain article. In the table above, the adjective already has a definite article. Consequently, the adjectives no longer need their endings, so the rules of weak declension are so simple. Conversely, with strong declination, when there are no articles in front of the adjectives, the endings of adjectives change like the endings of a definite article.

And some tips how to remember these dry tables:

1. Learn in detail the declension of the definite article.
2. Read this article and look through the tables in the directory carefully once and pass the test - on the Internet they are enough. Once you have completed or not completed assignments for the correct form of the adjective, you will feel the need to remember it all, and also know where to study the declension of the adjectives more closely. The secret of any effective learning: first the problem, then its solution. And not vice versa.
3. Take the artistic text in German. It can be any text on an interesting topic with a parallel translation. Try to make yourself all the declination tables, and then compare them with the directory. It will take time, but after that, you most likely will not even need to look at the directory at all, in order to clarify how an adjective leans.