Introduction to Adjective Declension without Articles
When an adjective appears without a definite or indefinite article, it takes endings based on the gender, case, and number of the noun it modifies. Here we’ll look at these adjective endings and see how they change in different cases.
Adjective Endings without Articles
In German, the adjective endings follow the gender and case closely when no article is present. These endings often indicate the case and gender of the noun directly.
| Case |
Masculine |
Feminine |
Neuter |
Plural |
| Nominative |
roter Wein |
rote Blume |
rotes Buch |
rote Bücher |
| Accusative |
roten Wein |
rote Blume |
rotes Buch |
rote Bücher |
| Dative |
rotem Wein |
roter Blume |
rotem Buch |
roten Büchern |
| Genitive |
roten Weines |
roter Blume |
roten Buches |
roter Bücher |
Examples in Sentences
Ich trinke roten Wein. (I am drinking red wine.) - Accusative, Masculine
Das ist eine schöne rote Blume. (This is a beautiful red flower.) - Nominative, Feminine
Wir sprechen über deutsches Bier. (We are talking about German beer.) - Accusative, Neuter
Ich denke an alte Freunde. (I think of old friends.) - Accusative, Plural
Note: Remember to match the ending to the case and gender of the noun. Practicing these forms will make the patterns easier to remember.