If you feel confused by German adjective endings, you aren’t alone. Why is it der gute Wein, ein guter Wein, but guter Wein?
The answer lies in the three types of declension. German adjectives change their endings based on what comes before them. The language wants to make sure the Case (Nominative, Accusative, Dative, Genitive) and Gender (Masculine, Feminine, Neuter) are always clear.
1. Weak Declension (After a “Strong” Article)
Trigger: der, die, das, diese, jene, jeder…
We call this “Weak” because the definite article is already “Strong”—it clearly tells us the gender and case. The adjective doesn’t need to do much work, so it only uses two simple endings: -e or -en.
- Rule: Most singular Nominative/Accusative forms end in -e. Everything else (Dative, Genitive, Plural) ends in -en.
- Example: Der alte Tisch (The old table).
2. Mixed Declension (The Hybrid)
Trigger: ein, eine, kein, and possessive pronouns (mein, dein, sein…).
This is a mix. Words like ein or mein are “Weak” in some places (they don’t show the difference between Masculine and Neuter in Nominative). In those specific gaps, the adjective must become “Strong” to show the gender.
- Rule: If the article is “blind” (doesn’t show gender), the adjective takes the ending from the definite article (-er for masculine, -es for neuter).
- Example: Ein alter Tisch (An old table — the -er shows it is Masculine).
3. Strong Declension (When the Adjective is Alone)
Trigger: No article at all (Zero Article).
When there is no article to help, the adjective must carry the entire burden of the grammar. It takes the endings directly from the definite articles (der, die, das).
- Rule: The adjective ending matches the last letter of the definite article (with a tiny exception in the Genitive masculine/neuter).
- Example: Kalter Kaffee (Cold coffee — the -er acts like der).
The “Step-by-Step” Decision Tree
To pick the right ending, ask yourself these three questions in order:
- Is there an article?
- No -> Use Strong endings.
- Yes -> Go to step 2.
- Is it a “der-word” (Definite)?
- Yes -> Use Weak endings.
- No (it’s an “ein-word”) -> Go to step 3.
- Does the “ein-word” have an ending?
- Yes (e.g., einer, einem) -> Use Weak endings (-en).
- No (just ein, mein, kein) -> Use Mixed endings to show the gender.
Want to see these rules in a master table? Check out our full guide with interactive exercises:Adjektivdeklination – The Master Guide.
Summary Comparison (Nominative Masculine)
| Type | Construction | Ending | Why? |
| Weak | Der gute Wein | -e | Der already shows it’s masc/nom. |
| Mixed | Ein guter Wein | -er | Ein is “blind,” so adjective shows “masculine.” |
| Strong | Guter Wein | -er | No article, adjective must show “masculine.” |
Final Thoughts
The “logic” of adjective endings is all about clarity. Once you realize that the adjective only works hard when the article is lazy, the tables start to make sense. Don’t try to memorize all 48 endings at once—focus on the “Weak” patterns first!
Next Step: Now that you know the rules, are you ready to see the most common mistakes students make? Check out our Top 10 Adjective Ending Mistakes and how to fix them!