German Grammar Lectures

1. German Grammar Lectures Lecture 6: German Adjective Endings Designed by Paul Joyce University of Portsmouth E-Mail: Paul.Joyce@port.ac.uk

2. 6.1 Three types of endings • So far we have looked at 2 types of endings: • Noun declension (i.e. genitive endings for masculine & neuter nouns, dative plurals) • Definite & indefinite articles and their equivalents • The third type of endings that must be learned by heart are adjective endings.

3. 6.2 What is an adjective? • Adjectives are words that describe, modify or qualify nouns or pronouns - e.g. alt, jung, neu, grau, freundlich. • German participles can be used adjectivally: • Ich sah ein untergehendes Schiff. (I saw a ship going down.) • Ich sah ein untergegangenes Schiff. (I saw a ship that had gone down.)

4. 6.3 Predicative adjective usage • Adjectives that followthe noun to which they refer (as part of a verbal construction) do NOT add endings. • This is the predicative use of the adjective. • Michael ist jung. • Die Patientin liegt krank im Bett. • Er streicht die Wand gelb. (He paints the wall yellow.)

5. 6.4 Attributive adjective usage • Adjectives that appear directly before the noun to which they refer DO add endings. • This is the attributive use of the adjective. Examples: • Michael ist ein junger Mann. • Die krankePatientin liegtim Bett. • Er streicht die gelbeWand. (He paints the yellow wall.)

6. 6.5 How to choose endings • The endings that attributive adjectives take are determined by four factors: • 1)Genderof the noun • 2)Numberof the noun (singular / plural) • 3)Caseof the noun • 4)Type of articlepreceding the adjective • There are THREE basic types of endings.

7. 6.6 Weak adjective declension • The “weak” adjective endings are used after the definite article and its equivalents: • der - the (definite article) • dieser - this; jener - that • jeder - each; welcher? - which? • aller, sämtlicher- all • beide(= plural) - both

8. 6.7 Weak adjective endings • The “weak” declension only has TWO possible endings: -e and -en. • -e is only used with: - the nominative singular of all genders - the accusative feminine singular - the accusative neuter singular • -en is used: - inall other combinations of case & gender - inall plurals

9. 6.8 Weak adjective endings: alt

10. 6.9 Careful – learn the articles! • The weak endings show little information - 2 endings only!- because they are used after determiners whose endings clearly show the case, gender and number of the noun. • This means that the endings of the adjective and the determiner which governs it decline in different ways - both must be learnt! • The definite article endings were discussed in Lecture 4.

11. 6.10 Endings: Definite Article

12. 6.11 Weak adjective declension

13. 6.12 Other determiners • The same endings are found on the other determiners that take the weak declension: • Der Geruch diesesroten Apfels (The smell of this red apple.) • Von welchem weißen Wein…? (From which white wine…?) • Alle vernünftigen Menschen wissen das! (All sensible people know that!)

14. 6.13 beide / die beiden • Beide(= both) can be used as a determiner - it then declines like dieser. • It can also be used as a simple adjective, in which case it takes the endings determined by the article: • Beide Brüder sind gestern abgereist. • Die beiden Brüder sind gestern abgereist. • Seine beiden Brüder sind gestern abgereist.

15. 6.14 Quiz: weak adjective endings • Welch____ neu____ Haus gefällt Ihnen? (= Which new house do you like?) • Östlich d____ deutsch____ Gebiet___ . (= To the east of the German territory.) • Ich rede mit dies____ jung____ Dame. (= I’m talking to this young lady.) • Wir kennen jed____ britisch____ Film. (= We know every British film.)

16. 6.15 Quiz: answers • Welches neue Haus gefällt Ihnen? (= Which new house do you like?) • Östlich des deutschen Gebiets. (= To the east of the German territory.) • Ich rede mit dieser jungen Dame. (= I’m talking to this young lady.) • Wir kennen jeden britischen Film. (= We know every British film.)

17. 6.16 Strong adjective declension • “Strong” adjective endings are used if there is no determiner before the adjective whose ending clearly shows the case, gender and number of the noun. This happens: • when there is no determiner at all • after simple numerals - zwei, drei usw. • after certain plurals - viele, wenige, ein paar, mehrere, einige, etliche, folgende

18. 6.17 Strong adjective endings: neu

19. 6.18 Strong adjective declension

20. 6.19 Strong adjective declension • Starkes Bier wirkt erfrischend. (Strong beer is refreshing.) • Der Geruch heißen Tees ist überall. (The aroma of hot tea is everywhere.) • Ich esse Spaghetti mit kalter Tomatensauce. (I eat spaghetti with cold tomato sauce) • Brasilianischer Kaffee mit frischer Milch (Brazilian coffee with fresh milk.)

21. 6.20 Strong adj. endings: numerals • Acht fleißige StudentInnen waren da. (Eight hard-working students were there.) • Eine Begegnung mit drei alten Männern (A meeting with three old men.) • Der Bau vier neuer Schiffe (The construction of four new ships) • Seht ihr neunundneunzig rote Luftballons? (Do you see 99 red balloons?)

22. 6.21 Strong adjectives : numerals (2) • BUT if a number is used after an article, then the endings on any following adjective are governed by the article - not the number. • Fünf kluge Schüler (BUT: Die fünf klugen Schüler) • Wegen fünf kluger Schüler (BUT: Wegen der fünf klugen Schüler) • Zwei artige Kinder (BUT: Seine zwei artigen Kinder)

23. 6.22 Strong adj. endings : plurals • Mehrere richtige Antworten sind möglich. (Several correct answers are possible.) • Es gibt viele gute Gründe. (There are many good reasons.) • Trotz ein paar kleiner Schwierigkeiten. (Despite a few small difficulties) • Eine Stadt mit einigen alten Bauwerken (A town with a few old buildings)

24. 6.23 Quiz: strong adjective endings • Der Geschmack belgisch____ Bier___ (= The taste of Belgian beer) • Gibt es genug heiß____ Wasser für alle? (= Is there enough hot water for everyone?) • Er fand mehrer____ schwarz____ Löcher. (= He found several black holes.) • Wegen viel____ typisch____ Fehler. (= Because of many typical mistakes)

25. 6.24 Quiz (2): answers • Der Geschmack belgischen Biers (= The taste of Belgian beer) • Gibt es genug heißes Wasser für alle? (= Is there enough hot water for everyone?) • Er fand mehrere schwarze Löcher. (= He found several black holes.) • Wegen vieler typischer Irrtümer (= Because of many typical mistakes)

26. 6.25 mancher, solcher etc. • Some determiners vary in usage depending on number. The following determiners all take the weak declension in the singular: • folgender mit folgendem starkenPartner • irgendwelcher durch irgendwelchen purenUnsinn • mancher mancher braveMann • solcher solches dummeGerede

27. 6.26 mancher, solcher (2) • BUT their usage is less clear in the plural. • Weak endings are more usual after solche and irgendwelche:  solche schönenTage (rarely: schöne)  irgendwelche dummenLeute • Strong endings are more usual after manche manche neueOrte (less common: neuen) • Strong endings are the rule after folgende:  folgende guteBeispiele

28. 6.27 Mixed adjective declension • The mixed adjective declension uses weak and strong endings according to context. • The mixed adjective endings are used after the indefinite article and its equivalents: • ein - a, an (definite article) • kein - not a, no • possessives - mein, dein, sein, ihr / Ihr, unser, euer

29. 6.28 Mixed adjective endings • Mixed adjective endings are so called because they “mix” weak and strong adjective endings • Strong adjective endings are used with: - the nominative singular of all genders - the accusative feminine singular - the accusative neuter singular • The weak adjective ending -en is used: - inall other combinations of case & gender - inall plurals

30. 6.29 Mixed adjective endings: gut

31. 6.30 Mixed adjective declension

32. 6.31 Indefinite Article + Adjective • Die Bundesrepublik ist ein großes Land. (The Federal Republic is a large country.) • Er stahl einer jungen Frau die Handtasche. (He stole a handbag from a young woman.) • Sie hatten keine weiteren Fragen. (They had no further questions.) • Am Ende eines langen Tages (At the end of a long day)

33. 6.32 Endings: Possessive + Adjective

34. 6.33 Examples: Possessive + Adjective • Ihr politischer Kurs nützt niemandem! (Your political course isn’t helping anybody!) • Das ist die Farbe unseres neuen Autos. (That is the colour of our new car.) • Geht zu eurem hervorragenden Bäcker! (Go to your excellent baker!) • Das liegt an meiner schwierigen Situation. (That is due to my difficult situation.)

35. 6.34 Quiz: mixed endings • Darf ich mein__ groß__ Bruder mitbringen? (= Can I bring my big brother?) • Nach unser____ letzt___ Afrikareise (= After our last journey to Africa) • Das ist kein___ schlecht____ Idee. (= That’s not a bad idea.) • Wegen eu____ besoffen____ Lehrer___ (= Because of your drunk teacher)

36. 6.35 Quiz (3): answers • Darf ich meinen großen Bruder mitbringen? (= Can I bring my big brother?) • Nach unserer letzten Afrikareise (= After our last journey to Africa) • Das ist keine schlechte Idee. (= That’s not a bad idea.) • Wegen eures besoffenen Lehrers (= Because of your drunken teacher)

37. 6.36 Two or more adjectives... • Two or more adjectives preceding a noun all have the same endings: • Sie trinken gutesbayrisches Bier. (They are drinking good Bavarian beer.) • Die Lösung wichtigersozialer Probleme. (The solution to important social problems.) • Das ist mein lieberalter Vater. (That is my dear old father.)

38. 6.37…or adverb + adjective? • BUT take care not to put adjective endings on an adverb that qualifies an adjective: • Das ist ein unglaublichesDing (That is an unbelievable thing!) • Das ist ein unglaublich schönes Gefühl. (That is an unbelievably beautiful feeling.) • Alex ist ein unheilbar faulerJunge. (Alex is an incurably lazy boy.) • Alex ist ein unheilbarer, faulerJunge. (Alex is an incurable lazy boy.)

39. 6.38 Participles used as adjectives • Any part of speech used as an adjectives will take the appropriate endings: • Present Participle enttäuschende Zahlen • Past Participle ein untergegangenes Schiff • Comparative mein größerer Bruder • Superlative das kleinste Handy der Welt (N.B. Linz ist die drittgrößte Stadt Österreichs)

40. 6.39 Adjectives used as nouns • Adjectives used as nouns also have weak, mixed or strong endings depending on the determiner that precedes them. • In other words, they take the same endings as an adjective would if it were in that position in the clause. They thus have the same endings as any preceding adjective: • e.g. ein zuverlässiger Angestellter(= a reliable employee), vom unbekannten Fremden(= from an unknown stranger)

41. der/die Deutsche the German der/die Fremde the stranger der/die Bekannte the acquaintance der/die Angestellte the employee der/die Jugendliche the youth der/die Reisende the traveller der/die Verwandte the relative der/die Vorsitzende the chairperson 6.40 Key adjectival nouns

42. 6.41 Adjectival Noun + definite article

43. 6.42 Adjectival Noun + indefinite article

44. 6.43 Adjectival nouns: strong endings • The following endings are taken by adjectives used as nouns in the strong declension: • Nominative Deutsche sind skeptisch • Accusative Ekuador für Reisende • Genitive das Gepäck Reisender • Dative Er hilft Obdachlosen

45. 6.44 City adjectives ending in -er • Adjectives in -erformed from the names of towns and cities are written with a capital letter and do not inflect (i.e. add endings): • the Berlin Wall die Berliner Mauer • Cologne cathedral der Kölner Dom • a Viennese tradition eine Wiener Tradition • Swiss cheese Schweizer Käse • (the nineties die neunziger Jahre)

46. 6.45 Foreign colours • Some foreign colour adjectives ending in a vowel do not take endings: • beige  ein beige Mantel • lila  sein lila Trikot • orange  die orange Farbe • rosa  ihr rosa Sofa • (Also: prima  eineprima Idee)

47. 6.46 Adjectives ending in -el • Adjectives in -elalways drop the -e-of the stem when the adjective takes endings: • dunkel  ein dunkler Wald (NOT: dunkeler) • flexibel  sein flexibles Design • miserabel  der miserable Service • passabel  mit einer passablen Leistung • respektabel  ein respektables Wachstum

48. 6.47 Adjectives ending in -er • Foreign adjectives in -erand those with -au-or -eu-before the -er always drop the -e-: • makaber(foreign) die makabre Geschichte • sauer(-au-) deine saureMiene • teuer (-eu-) trotz teurer Geschenke • Other -eradjectives keep the -e- however: • munter  ein munteres Kind

49. 6.48 The adjective hoch • When inflected, hoch has the special stem hoh- to which the endings are added: • Ist Ben Nevis ein hoher Berg? (Is Ben Nevis a high mountain?) • Ja, der Berg ist sehr hoch. (Yes, the mountain is very high.) • Wir fahren mit hoher Geschwindigkeit . (We are travelling at high speed.)