Descriptive adjectives in German provide details about nouns by describing qualities such as color, size, shape, or other attributes. These adjectives must agree with the noun in gender (masculine, feminine, neuter), number (singular or plural), and grammatical case (nominative, accusative, dative, genitive). Descriptive adjectives can appear before nouns or after certain verbs (like sein — "to be").
Declension Rules
- Strong endings: Used when no article precedes the adjective (e.g., guter Wein — "good wine").
- Weak endings: Used when a definite article or a similar word (e.g., der, die, das) precedes the noun (e.g., der gute Wein).
- Mixed endings: Used when an indefinite article (e.g., ein, eine) or a possessive pronoun precedes the noun (e.g., ein guter Wein, mein guter Wein).
.2. Examples
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Der rote Apfel ist süß. (red) | The red apple is sweet. |
| Eine kleine Katze schläft. (small) | A small cat is sleeping. |
| Das Haus ist groß. (big) | The house is big. |
| Wir haben einen alten Hund. (old) | We have an old dog. |
| Sie trägt einen blauen Mantel. (blue) | She wears a blue coat. |
Usage Tips
- Descriptive adjectives can also be used predicatively after sein, werden, or bleiben (e.g., Das Kind ist müde — "The child is tired"). In this case, they do not take endings.
- Position in the sentence can change nuance, but the most common placement is directly before the noun.
Which verbs often introduce predicative adjectives that do not take endings?
sein, werden, bleiben
The verbs sein (to be), werden (to become), and bleiben (to remain) commonly introduce predicative adjectives that stand without endings.
Where do descriptive adjectives most commonly appear in German sentences?
Before the noun
Descriptive adjectives most commonly appear directly before the noun they modify (e.g., der rote Apfel).
Summary
- Descriptive adjectives describe qualities of nouns.
- They must agree with the noun’s gender, number, and case.
- Use:
- Strong endings if no article is present.
- Weak endings after definite articles.
- Mixed endings after indefinite articles or possessives.
- Predicative adjectives (after sein, etc.) take no endings.
- Common classes include color, size, shape, and general qualities.
Flashcards (1 of 5)
- English: The red apple is sweet.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
