Adjectives in German describe nouns and must agree in gender, number, and case with the nouns they modify. They can be used attributively (directly before the noun), predicatively (after a verb), or as adverbs.
Pronouns replace nouns in sentences to avoid repetition and also agree in gender, number, and case. Common types include personal, possessive, reflexive, demonstrative, relative, and interrogative pronouns.
Adjective Agreement
German adjectives change their endings based on the gender (masculine, feminine, neuter), number (singular, plural), and case (nominative, accusative, dative, genitive) of the noun they modify. The type of article (definite, indefinite, or none) also affects the adjective ending.
- Attributive adjectives get specific endings for each situation.
- Predicative adjectives remain unchanged (e.g., Das ist interessant.).
- Adjective endings are a key part of mastering German grammar.
German adjectives must agree with the noun's gender, number, and case.
No, predicative adjectives remain unchanged.
Adjective Endings Summary
| Article Type | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Definite (der) | -er, -en, -en, -en | -e, -e, -en, -en | -es, -e, -en, -en | -e, -e, -en, -en |
| Indefinite (ein) | -er, -en, -en, -en | -e, -e, -en, -en | -es, -e, -en, -en | -e, -e, -en, -en* |
| No Article | -er, -e, -es, -e | -e, -e, -en, -en | -es, -e, -en, -en | -e, -e, -en |
\Plural never has indefinite articles, but behaves like "no article" for endings.*
Definite, indefinite, and no article all influence adjective endings.
For a masculine noun with a definite article, the adjective endings are -er (nominative) and -en (accusative).
Examples of Adjective Use
| Case | Definite (der) | Indefinite (ein) | No Article |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der rote Apfel | ein roter Apfel | Roter Apfel |
| Accusative | Ich sehe den roten Apfel | Ich sehe einen roten Apfel | Ich sehe roten Apfel |
| Dative | Ich gebe dem roten Apfel | Ich gebe einem roten Apfel | Ich gebe rotem Apfel |
| Genitive | wegen des roten Apfels | wegen eines roten Apfels | wegen roten Apfels |
Yes, adjectives can be used without articles, but their endings change accordingly.
In dative, adjectives take -en endings for all genders and numbers.
Pronouns Overview
German pronouns replace nouns and must match the original noun's gender, number, and case. Main types include:
- Personal (ich, du, er, sie, es, wir, ihr, sie, Sie)
- Possessive (mein, dein, sein, ihr, unser, euer)
- Reflexive (mich, dich, sich, uns, euch)
- Demonstrative (dieser, jener)
- Relative (der, die, das; wer, was)
- Interrogative (wer, was, welcher)
German pronouns include personal, possessive, reflexive, demonstrative, relative, and interrogative types.
Yes, German pronouns change form to match the case.
Personal Pronouns by Case
| Case | Singular | Plural | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | |
| Nominative | ich | du | er/sie/es | wir | ihr | sie |
| Accusative | mich | dich | ihn/sie/es | uns | euch | sie |
| Dative | mir | dir | ihm/ihr/ihm | uns | euch | ihnen |
The nominative pronouns for 'we' and 'you (plural)' are 'wir' and 'ihr'.
The dative pronoun for 'them' is 'ihnen'.
Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns show ownership and also follow adjective-like endings for gender, number, and case agreement.
| Person | Masculine Nominative | Feminine Nominative | Neuter Nominative | Plural Nominative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Singular | mein | meine | mein | meine |
| 2nd Singular | dein | deine | dein | deine |
| 3rd Singular | sein/ihr | seine/ihre | sein/ihr | seine/ihre |
| 1st Plural | unser | unsere | unser | unsere |
| 2nd Plural | euer | eure | euer | eure |
Yes, possessive pronouns adapt like adjectives to match gender, number, and case.
The possessive pronoun for 'our' is 'unser'.
Examples with Pronouns and Adjectives
- Attributive adjective: Das ist mein neuer Wagen. (That is my new car.)
- Pronoun agreement: Ich sehe deinen Bruder. / Er ist nett. (I see your brother. / He is nice.)
- Possessive: Unsere Wohnung ist groß. (Our apartment is big.)
The correct form is 'mein alter Hund' (assuming nominative case).
The correct phrase is 'Ihr Buch ist interessant.'
Conclusion
German adjectives and pronouns are tightly linked through their need for grammatical agreement, which may seem complex but provides clarity and precision in language.
- Adjectives change endings based on gender, number, case, and article type.
- Pronouns replace nouns and must match them in gender, number, and case.
- Mastery of these concepts is essential for fluent and accurate German.