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German adjectives

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761:
Note: The prevailing view is that the mixed inflection is not a true inflection in its own right, but merely the weak inflection with a few additions to compensate for the lack of the masculine nominative and neuter nominative and accusative endings.
1508: 154:
German adjectives take different sets of endings in different circumstances. Essentially, the adjectives must provide case, gender and number information if the articles do not.
157:
This table lists the various endings, in order masculine, feminine, neuter, plural, for the different inflection cases. For example, "X e X e" denotes "
1515: 483:
The strong inflection is used when there is no article at all, or if the noun is preceded by a non-inflectable word or phrase such as
94: 1458:
Joseph Wright, Historical German Grammar. Vol. I: Phonology, Word-Formation and Accidence, Oxford Univ. Press, 1907; p.194.
1635: 1544: 1569: 787:
Nominative and accusative singular endings are the same as in the strong inflection; all other forms end with "
1559: 1539: 495:("a little, some, a lot of/much"). It is also used when the adjective is preceded merely by another regular ( 1501: 1449:
If there is a definite article, one uses the weak inflection, as in "der Lobgesang der drei jungen Männer".
1027:). The definite word has provided most of the necessary information, so the adjective endings are simpler. 131: 87: 1574: 1549: 63: 1415:
superlative form adds the "st" to the comparative root and then the conventional adjective ending.
1030:
The endings are applicable to every degree of comparison (positive, comparative, and superlative).
53: 1630: 1579: 1564: 119: 80: 1493: 1304: 68: 1412: 780: 574:" began to displace it by the seventeenth century, and became common by the mid-eighteenth.) 127: 1425:
This form can also be placed in a predicate position with the appropriate adjective ending:
1368: 393:
He is a good man, he/she is a good child, she is a good woman and they are not good people
126:
when they come before a noun. (But, unlike in French, they are not inflected when used as
8: 1604: 1360: 1609: 1594: 1528: 1387: 537:
a number (greater than one, i.e. with no endings), without a definite article before it
139: 58: 750:
The mixed inflection is used when the adjective is preceded by an indefinite article (
135: 111: 555: 115: 48: 38: 1287:"wenig" and "viel" can be put in the plural, where they take endings as normal: 19: 1487: 471:
The man is good, the child is good, the woman is good and the people are good.
1624: 33: 28: 1364: 1330: 143: 1473: 123: 499:
non-article) adjective. More specifically, strong inflection is used:
1524: 1379: 1019:
The weak inflection is used when there is a definite word in place (
1523: 432:
The good man, the good child, the good woman and the good people
566:: the masculine and neuter genitive singular was originally " 1372: 1337:. Inflected, the corresponding adjective ending is attached. 1095:
Five endings in the nominative and accusative cases end with
1079:(which), which decline similarly to the definite article 1065:(every), which decline similarly to the definite article 1307:
form: the adjective stem with the appropriate ending.
1279:
Several quantifying words are not (always) inflected:
236:
Following indefinite article or possessive determiner
130:.) That is, they take an ending that depends on the 562:" in the masculine and neuter genitive singular. ( 274:Indefinite article / possessive determiner endings 114:, and are usually not capitalized. However, as in 1407:("I find this house (to be) the most beautiful.") 1622: 354:Good man, good child, good woman and good people 570:", as might be expected, but the weak ending " 1509: 88: 558:endings, apart from the adjectival ending " 1516: 1502: 1471: 95: 81: 554:The adjective endings are similar to the 1488:Dr. T's German Adjective Ending Tutorial 1303:The basic form of the adjective is the 1293: 1021:der , jed-, jen-, manch-, dies-, solch- 149: 1623: 1037:definite article (der, die, das, etc.) 783:"mein-", "dein-", "sein-", "ihr-" etc. 1497: 1432:("This house is the most beautiful.") 1283:nichts, wenig, etwas, viel, and genug 366:, since following indefinite article: 1333:consists of the stem and the suffix 478: 1405:Ich finde dieses Haus am schönsten. 1354: 1324: 745: 405:, since following definite article: 13: 1014: 215:No article, or following quantity 14: 1647: 1465: 1298: 1274: 765:Mixed inflection is used after: 506:When a quantity is indicated by 1033:Weak inflection is used after: 1452: 1443: 758:) or a possessive determiner. 278:ein-, kein-, mein-, dein, ihr- 1: 1436: 1430:Dieses Haus ist das schönste. 444:, since not preceding a noun: 110:come before the noun, as in 7: 1350:("the more beautiful song") 257:Following definite article 10: 1652: 168:"; and "m r m n" denotes " 1590: 1535: 540:non-inflectable phrases: 212:Strong inflection endings 1344:(basic comparative form) 385:Frau und sie sind keine 321:Here are some examples: 233:Mixed inflection endings 503:When no article is used 254:Weak inflection endings 120:Indo-European languages 1636:Adjectives by language 1401:("the most beautiful") 1320:("the beautiful song") 781:possessive determiners 544:(a couple of; a few), 463:und die Menschen sind 128:predicative adjectives 1314:(basic positive form) 548:(a bit; a little bit) 1369:prepositional phrase 1294:Adjective comparison 150:Adjective inflection 1474:"German Declension" 1371:. One attaches the 1289:viele/wenige Kinder 769:indefinite article 381:Kind, sie ist eine 328:, since no article: 191: 1394:is put before it. 1099:, all others with 512:(some; somewhat), 301:der, das, die, den 190: 64:Sentence structure 1618: 1617: 1529:world's languages 1420:das schönste Lied 1348:das schönere Lied 1272: 1271: 1012: 1011: 743: 742: 530:(several; many), 479:Strong inflection 377:Mann, es ist ein 326:Strong inflection 319: 318: 108:German adjectives 105: 104: 54:Adverbial phrases 1643: 1518: 1511: 1504: 1495: 1494: 1483: 1481: 1480: 1472:Helmut Richter. 1459: 1456: 1450: 1447: 1355:Superlative form 1331:comparative form 1325:Comparative form 1106: 1105: 794: 793: 746:Mixed inflection 577: 576: 556:definite article 297:Definite article 192: 189: 97: 90: 83: 16: 15: 1651: 1650: 1646: 1645: 1644: 1642: 1641: 1640: 1621: 1620: 1619: 1614: 1586: 1531: 1522: 1478: 1476: 1468: 1463: 1462: 1457: 1453: 1448: 1444: 1439: 1390:, and the word 1357: 1327: 1318:das schöne Lied 1301: 1296: 1277: 1017: 1015:Weak inflection 748: 481: 459:, die Frau ist 455:, das Kind ist 403:Weak inflection 364:Mixed inflected 298: 275: 256: 235: 214: 152: 101: 69:Modal particles 12: 11: 5: 1649: 1639: 1638: 1633: 1631:German grammar 1616: 1615: 1613: 1612: 1607: 1602: 1597: 1591: 1588: 1587: 1585: 1584: 1583: 1582: 1577: 1572: 1567: 1562: 1557: 1547: 1542: 1536: 1533: 1532: 1521: 1520: 1513: 1506: 1498: 1492: 1491: 1484: 1467: 1466:External links 1464: 1461: 1460: 1451: 1441: 1440: 1438: 1435: 1434: 1433: 1423: 1422: 1409: 1408: 1402: 1367:is actually a 1361:predicate form 1356: 1353: 1352: 1351: 1345: 1326: 1323: 1322: 1321: 1315: 1300: 1297: 1295: 1292: 1285: 1284: 1276: 1273: 1270: 1269: 1261: 1253: 1245: 1237: 1233: 1232: 1224: 1216: 1208: 1200: 1196: 1195: 1187: 1179: 1171: 1163: 1159: 1158: 1150: 1142: 1134: 1126: 1122: 1121: 1118: 1115: 1112: 1109: 1093: 1092: 1086: 1080: 1066: 1048: 1038: 1016: 1013: 1010: 1009: 997: 985: 973: 961: 957: 956: 944: 932: 920: 908: 904: 903: 891: 883: 871: 859: 855: 854: 842: 834: 822: 814: 810: 809: 806: 803: 800: 797: 785: 784: 778: 747: 744: 741: 740: 732: 724: 716: 708: 704: 703: 695: 687: 679: 671: 667: 666: 658: 650: 642: 634: 630: 629: 621: 613: 605: 597: 593: 592: 589: 586: 583: 580: 552: 551: 550: 549: 538: 535: 526:(much; many), 517: 504: 480: 477: 476: 475: 474: 473: 468: 446: 445: 438: 437: 436: 435: 429: 407: 406: 399: 398: 397: 396: 390: 368: 367: 360: 359: 358: 357: 351: 330: 329: 317: 316: 313: 310: 307: 304: 294: 293: 290: 287: 284: 281: 271: 270: 267: 264: 261: 258: 250: 249: 246: 243: 240: 237: 229: 228: 225: 222: 219: 216: 208: 207: 204: 201: 198: 195: 151: 148: 103: 102: 100: 99: 92: 85: 77: 74: 73: 72: 71: 66: 61: 56: 51: 46: 41: 36: 31: 23: 22: 20:German grammar 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1648: 1637: 1634: 1632: 1629: 1628: 1626: 1611: 1608: 1606: 1603: 1601: 1598: 1596: 1593: 1592: 1589: 1581: 1578: 1576: 1573: 1571: 1568: 1566: 1563: 1561: 1558: 1556: 1553: 1552: 1551: 1548: 1546: 1545:Orthographies 1543: 1541: 1538: 1537: 1534: 1530: 1526: 1519: 1514: 1512: 1507: 1505: 1500: 1499: 1496: 1489: 1485: 1475: 1470: 1469: 1455: 1446: 1442: 1431: 1428: 1427: 1426: 1421: 1418: 1417: 1416: 1414: 1406: 1403: 1400: 1397: 1396: 1395: 1393: 1389: 1385: 1381: 1377: 1374: 1370: 1366: 1362: 1349: 1346: 1343: 1340: 1339: 1338: 1336: 1332: 1319: 1316: 1313: 1310: 1309: 1308: 1306: 1299:Positive form 1291: 1290: 1282: 1281: 1280: 1275:No inflection 1268: 1267: 1262: 1260: 1259: 1254: 1252: 1251: 1246: 1244: 1243: 1238: 1235: 1234: 1231: 1230: 1225: 1223: 1222: 1217: 1215: 1214: 1209: 1207: 1206: 1201: 1198: 1197: 1194: 1193: 1188: 1186: 1185: 1180: 1178: 1177: 1172: 1170: 1169: 1164: 1161: 1160: 1157: 1156: 1151: 1149: 1148: 1143: 1141: 1140: 1135: 1133: 1132: 1127: 1124: 1123: 1119: 1116: 1113: 1110: 1108: 1107: 1104: 1102: 1098: 1090: 1087: 1084: 1081: 1078: 1074: 1070: 1067: 1064: 1060: 1056: 1052: 1049: 1046: 1042: 1039: 1036: 1035: 1034: 1031: 1028: 1026: 1022: 1008: 1007: 1003: 998: 996: 995: 991: 986: 984: 983: 979: 974: 972: 971: 967: 962: 959: 958: 955: 954: 950: 945: 943: 942: 938: 933: 931: 930: 926: 921: 919: 918: 914: 909: 906: 905: 902: 901: 897: 892: 890: 889: 884: 882: 881: 877: 872: 870: 869: 865: 860: 857: 856: 853: 852: 848: 843: 841: 840: 835: 833: 832: 828: 823: 821: 820: 815: 812: 811: 807: 804: 801: 798: 796: 795: 792: 790: 782: 779: 777:, eine, keine 776: 772: 768: 767: 766: 763: 759: 757: 753: 739: 738: 733: 731: 730: 725: 723: 722: 717: 715: 714: 709: 706: 705: 702: 701: 696: 694: 693: 688: 686: 685: 680: 678: 677: 672: 669: 668: 665: 664: 659: 657: 656: 651: 649: 648: 643: 641: 640: 635: 632: 631: 628: 627: 622: 620: 619: 614: 612: 611: 606: 604: 603: 598: 595: 594: 590: 587: 584: 581: 579: 578: 575: 573: 569: 565: 561: 557: 547: 546:ein bisschen 543: 539: 536: 533: 529: 525: 521: 518: 515: 511: 508: 507: 505: 502: 501: 500: 498: 494: 490: 486: 472: 469: 466: 462: 458: 454: 451:Der Mann ist 450: 449: 448: 447: 443: 442:No inflection 440: 439: 433: 430: 427: 424:Frau und die 423: 419: 415: 411: 410: 409: 408: 404: 401: 400: 394: 391: 388: 384: 380: 376: 372: 371: 370: 369: 365: 362: 361: 355: 352: 349: 345: 341: 337: 334: 333: 332: 331: 327: 324: 323: 322: 314: 311: 308: 305: 302: 296: 295: 291: 288: 285: 282: 279: 273: 272: 268: 265: 262: 259: 255: 252: 251: 247: 244: 241: 238: 234: 231: 230: 226: 223: 220: 217: 213: 210: 209: 205: 202: 199: 196: 194: 193: 188: 186: 185: 181: 177: 173: 167: 166: 162: 155: 147: 145: 141: 137: 133: 129: 125: 121: 117: 113: 109: 98: 93: 91: 86: 84: 79: 78: 76: 75: 70: 67: 65: 62: 60: 57: 55: 52: 50: 47: 45: 42: 40: 37: 35: 32: 30: 27: 26: 25: 24: 21: 18: 17: 1599: 1570:Prepositions 1554: 1477:. Retrieved 1454: 1445: 1429: 1424: 1419: 1410: 1404: 1399:am schönsten 1398: 1391: 1383: 1375: 1358: 1347: 1341: 1334: 1328: 1317: 1311: 1302: 1288: 1286: 1278: 1265: 1263: 1257: 1255: 1249: 1247: 1241: 1239: 1228: 1226: 1220: 1218: 1212: 1210: 1204: 1202: 1191: 1189: 1183: 1181: 1175: 1173: 1167: 1165: 1154: 1152: 1146: 1144: 1138: 1136: 1130: 1128: 1100: 1096: 1094: 1088: 1082: 1076: 1072: 1068: 1062: 1058: 1054: 1050: 1044: 1043:(the same), 1040: 1032: 1029: 1024: 1020: 1018: 1005: 1001: 999: 993: 989: 987: 981: 977: 975: 969: 965: 963: 952: 948: 946: 940: 936: 934: 928: 924: 922: 916: 912: 910: 899: 895: 893: 887: 885: 879: 875: 873: 867: 863: 861: 850: 846: 844: 838: 836: 830: 826: 824: 818: 816: 788: 786: 774: 770: 764: 760: 755: 751: 749: 736: 734: 728: 726: 720: 718: 712: 710: 699: 697: 691: 689: 683: 681: 675: 673: 662: 660: 654: 652: 646: 644: 638: 636: 625: 623: 617: 615: 609: 607: 601: 599: 571: 567: 563: 559: 553: 545: 541: 531: 527: 523: 519: 513: 509: 496: 492: 488: 485:ein bisschen 484: 482: 470: 464: 460: 456: 452: 441: 431: 425: 421: 417: 413: 402: 392: 386: 382: 378: 374: 363: 353: 347: 343: 339: 335: 325: 320: 300: 277: 253: 232: 211: 183: 179: 175: 171: 169: 164: 160: 158: 156: 153: 107: 106: 43: 1560:Determiners 1540:Phonologies 1413:attributive 1365:superlative 1162:Accusative 1125:Nominative 858:Accusative 813:Nominative 633:Accusative 596:Nominative 373:Er ist ein 200:Accusative 197:Nominative 144:noun phrase 122:, they are 59:Conjugation 1625:Categories 1555:Adjectives 1525:Adjectives 1479:2008-02-05 1437:References 1329:The basic 1111:Masculine 799:Masculine 582:Masculine 420:Kind, die 416:Mann, das 163:, ein, ein 118:and other 44:Adjectives 1605:Japanese 1380:adjective 1236:Genitive 1114:Feminine 1047:(the one) 1045:derjenig- 960:Genitive 802:Feminine 707:Genitive 585:Feminine 542:ein paar 428:Menschen. 389:Menschen. 350:Menschen. 346:Frau und 206:Genitive 124:inflected 1575:Pronouns 1550:Grammars 1378:and the 1373:suffixes 1305:positive 1075:(such), 1071:(some), 1059:jeglich- 1057:(that), 1053:(this), 1041:derselb- 315:s r s r 312:m r m n 309:n e s e 306:r e s e 292:s r s r 289:m r m n 286:n e X e 283:X e X e 269:n n n n 266:n n n n 263:n e e n 260:e e e n 248:n n n n 245:n n n n 242:n e s n 239:r e s n 227:n r n r 224:m r m n 221:n e s e 218:r e s e 159:ein, ein 49:Pronouns 39:Articles 1610:Spanish 1595:English 1527:of the 1386:to the 1382:ending 1363:of the 1342:schöner 1264:der neu 1256:des neu 1248:der neu 1240:des neu 1227:den neu 1219:dem neu 1211:der neu 1203:dem neu 1199:Dative 1190:die neu 1182:das neu 1174:die neu 1166:den neu 1153:die neu 1145:das neu 1137:die neu 1129:der neu 1120:Plural 1117:Neuter 1061:(any), 907:Dative 886:ein neu 837:ein neu 817:ein neu 808:Plural 805:Neuter 670:Dative 591:Plural 588:Neuter 528:mehrer- 522:(few), 303:, etc. 280:, etc. 203:Dative 142:of the 112:English 1600:German 1091:(both) 1077:welch- 1073:solch- 1069:manch- 1025:welch- 534:(some) 532:einig- 520:wenig- 516:(more) 342:Kind, 338:Mann, 140:number 138:, and 132:gender 116:French 1580:Verbs 1565:Nouns 1312:schön 1089:beide 1085:(all) 1051:dies- 775:kein- 756:kein- 524:viel- 510:etwas 489:etwas 426:guten 387:guten 379:gutes 375:guter 340:gutes 336:Guter 299:E.g. 276:E.g. 182:, gut 178:, gut 174:, gut 34:Verbs 29:Nouns 1411:The 1388:root 1083:alle 1063:jed- 1055:jen- 1023:and 1000:mein 947:mein 894:mein 845:mein 791:". 771:ein- 752:ein- 564:Note 514:mehr 497:i.e. 493:viel 422:gute 418:gute 414:gute 412:Der 383:gute 348:gute 344:gute 136:case 1384:-en 1376:-st 1335:-er 1101:-en 1004:neu 992:neu 988:ein 980:neu 976:ein 968:neu 964:ein 951:neu 939:neu 935:ein 927:neu 923:ein 915:neu 911:ein 898:neu 878:neu 874:ein 866:neu 862:ein 849:neu 829:neu 825:ein 789:-en 735:neu 727:neu 719:neu 711:neu 698:neu 690:neu 682:neu 674:neu 661:neu 653:neu 645:neu 637:neu 624:neu 616:neu 608:neu 600:neu 572:-en 568:-es 560:-en 491:or 465:gut 461:gut 457:gut 453:gut 187:". 170:gut 146:. 1627:: 1392:am 1359:A 1266:en 1258:en 1250:en 1242:en 1229:en 1221:en 1213:en 1205:en 1192:en 1168:en 1155:en 1103:. 1097:-e 1006:en 1002:er 994:en 990:es 982:en 978:er 970:en 966:es 953:en 949:en 941:en 937:em 929:en 925:er 917:en 913:em 900:en 888:es 868:en 864:en 851:en 839:es 819:er 773:, 754:, 737:er 729:en 721:er 713:en 700:en 692:em 684:er 676:em 655:es 639:en 618:es 602:er 487:, 184:en 180:em 176:er 172:em 134:, 1517:e 1510:t 1503:v 1490:" 1486:" 1482:. 1184:e 1176:e 1147:e 1139:e 1131:e 896:e 880:e 876:e 847:e 831:e 827:e 663:e 647:e 626:e 610:e 467:. 434:. 395:. 356:. 165:e 161:e 96:e 89:t 82:v

Index

German grammar
Nouns
Verbs
Articles
Adjectives
Pronouns
Adverbial phrases
Conjugation
Sentence structure
Modal particles
v
t
e
English
French
Indo-European languages
inflected
predicative adjectives
gender
case
number
noun phrase
definite article
possessive determiners
positive
comparative form
predicate form
superlative
prepositional phrase
suffixes

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