Declension in German
Declension in German.refers to the way nouns, pronouns, articles, and adjectives change their form based on number (singular or plural), gender (masculine, feminine, neuter), and case (nominative, accusative, dative, genitive). Understanding these changes is crucial for proper grammar in German. Here’s a basic overview:
Nouns
Unlike English, German nouns change form based on the case they are in. However, the change is usually more pronounced in articles and adjectives than in the nouns themselves. Here are examples using the noun “der Hund” (the dog):
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der Hund | die Hunde |
| Accusative | den Hund | die Hunde |
| Dative | dem Hund(e) | den Hunden |
| Genitive | des Hund(e)s | der Hunde |
Articles and Adjectives
Articles and adjectives change more noticeably than nouns. For example:
Definite Articles
| Case | Masculine (der) | Feminine (die) | Neuter (das) | Plural (die) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | die | das | die |
| Accusative | den | die | das | die |
| Dative | dem | der | dem | den |
| Genitive | des | der | des | der |
Indefinite Articles
| Case | Masculine (ein) | Feminine (eine) | Neuter (ein) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ein | eine | ein |
| Accusative | einen | eine | ein |
| Dative | einem | einer | einem |
| Genitive | eines | einer | eines |
Example Adjective Declension
Using the adjective “schön” (beautiful):
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der schöne Mann | die schöne Frau | das schöne Kind | die schönen Leute |
| Accusative | den schönen Mann | die schöne Frau | das schöne Kind | die schönen Leute |
| Dative | dem schönen Mann | der schönen Frau | dem schönen Kind | den schönen Leuten |
| Genitive | des schönen Mannes | der schönen Frau | des schönen Kindes | der schönen Leute |
Pronouns
Personal pronouns also change according to case:
| Case | 1st Person Singular (I/me) | 2nd Person Singular (you) | 3rd Person Singular (he/him, she/her, it) | 1st Person Plural (we/us) | 2nd Person Plural (you) | 3rd Person Plural (they/them) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Genitive | meiner | deiner | seiner, ihrer, seiner | unser | euer | ihrer |
This is a simplified overview, and there are more details and exceptions in the German language. But this should give you a basic understanding of how declension works in German.
Examples
Certainly! Below is a table that provides examples of declension in German, along with their English translations. The table focuses on the declension of a noun (“Hund” – dog), a definite article (“der” – the), an indefinite article (“ein” – a/an), and an adjective (“klein” – small) in different cases for the masculine gender.
| German Case | Example in German (Singular) | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | Der kleine Hund | The small dog |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | Ich sehe einen kleinen Hund | I see a small dog |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | Ich gebe dem kleinen Hund ein Spielzeug | I give the small dog a toy |
| Genitive (Possession) | Das Spielzeug des kleinen Hundes | The toy of the small dog |
In this table:
- Nominative is used for the subject of a sentence.
- Accusative is used for the direct object of a sentence.
- Dative is used for the indirect object of a sentence.
- Genitive indicates possession.
This example uses masculine nouns for simplicity. Remember, declension patterns vary depending on the gender of the noun (masculine, feminine, neuter) and whether the noun is singular or plural.
Sentences
Certainly! Here’s a table with examples of sentences showcasing the declension in German across different cases, along with their English translations:
| German Case | Example Sentence in German | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | Der Hund spielt im Garten. | The dog is playing in the garden. |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | Ich sehe den Hund. | I see the dog. |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | Ich gebe dem Hund einen Knochen. | I give the dog a bone. |
| Genitive (Possession) | Das Haus des Hundes ist groß. | The dog’s house is big. |
In these examples:
- Nominative is used when the noun is the subject of the sentence.
- Accusative is used when the noun is the direct object.
- Dative is used when the noun is the indirect object.
- Genitive is used to show possession or relationships between nouns.
Phrases
Here’s a table with phrases illustrating the declension in German, covering the four cases – nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive. Each phrase is accompanied by its English translation:
| German Case | Phrase in German | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | Der Hund ist freundlich. | The dog is friendly. |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | Ich sehe den Hund. | I see the dog. |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | Ich gebe dem Hund Futter. | I give the dog some food. |
| Genitive (Possession) | Das Halsband des Hundes ist neu. | The collar of the dog is new. |
In these phrases:
- Nominative case is used for the subject of the sentence (e.g., “The dog is friendly”).
- Accusative case is used for the direct object (e.g., “I see the dog”).
- Dative case is used for the indirect object (e.g., “I give the dog some food”).
- Genitive case is used to indicate possession (e.g., “The collar of the dog is new”).
