German 204: Intermediate German II
Grammatik: Adjektiv-Endungen

Adjective Endings
Adjectives may be used in two different positions. Predicate adjectives follow the noun they modify, and they have no endings. They accompany the verbs sein, werden, and bleiben. Attributive adjectives precede the noun they modify and take endigns according to the gender, number, and case of the noun.
(1) Er muss die deutsche Sprache erst lernen.
(2) Die deutsche Sprache ist schwer.

Attributive Adjective Endings

Attributive adjective endings use two different sets of endings, strong and weak.
(3) große Probleme
(4) die großen Probleme

Strong Adjective Endings
The strong adjective endings are identical to the endings of der-words, except for the genitive masculine and neuter singular form, -en instead of -es.

Weak Adjective Endings
There are only two weak adjective endings: -e and -en. -e is used in the nominative singular and in the feminine and neuter accusative singular. The ending -en is used in all other cicumstances.

In the following chart the strong adjective endings appear in the first column, the weak adjective endings in the second.

 
singular
plural
 
masculine
feminine
neuter
  
N -er -e -e -e -es -e -e -en
G -en -en -er -en -en -en -er -en
D -em -en -er -en -em -en -en -en
A -en -en -e -e -es -e -e -en

When to Use Strong or Weak Endings

Either the determiner or the adjective must show a strong ending in order to provide information about the gender, number, and case of the noun. If the determiner has a strong ending, the adjective that follows takes a weak ending.
(5) Sie gehen in eine deutsche Schule, viele machen Abitur und studieren an einer deutschen Hochschule.
(6) Was bedeutet es für Minderheiten, in der deutschen mulitkulturellen Umgebung zu leben?

If no strong ending precedes the adjective, the adjective itself takes a strong ending.
(7) Sie sind nun schon seit Jahrzehnten ein wichtiger Teil der deutschen Wirtschaft.
(8) Woran denken Sie bei dem Ausdruck "mulitkulturelle Gesellschaft"?

Adjectival Nouns
Adjectival nouns are declined like attributive adjectives. They are masculine or feminine when they denote living beings. They are neuter when they refer to things or concepts.
(9) Als Deutscher hätte er keine Probleme.
(10) Man hatte ihnen nur Positives über die Arbeit in Deutschland berichtet.
(11) Politisch Verfolgte genießen Asylrecht.

Attributive Adjectives in the Comparative or Superlative
When used attributively, the comparative or superlative adjectives take regular adjective endings according to the gender, number, and case of the noun they modify.
(12) Die Jugendlichen überfielen seinen älteren Bruder vor der Haustür.
(13) Er musste die unterschiedlichsten Arbeiten verrichten.