We are taught a very important grammar lesson this week – Adjektiv Deklination.

I will write about adjective declination with Indefinite articles – ein, kein in this post. Will write another for definite articles and no articles.

Even though it looks difficult this is really easy if you could try this way. The requisite for this is that you need to know what gender the noun is.

Step 1 : First form the table for definite articles der, die, das in all 3 cases Nominativ, Akkusativ, Dativ. Use an appropriate noun for each gender.

Step 2 : Then form another table for indefinite article ein in all 3 cases for the same nouns. However keep a space between the indefinite article and the noun. This is for an adjective which will have to be declined.

Step 3 : If you could make these 2 tables then the deklination is so simple.

1. For Nominativ and Aakkusativ the endings of the corresponding definite articles have to be applied to decline adjectives.
2. For Dativ the ending is always en to form adjective declination. Is it not super simple?
3. For Plural below important rules apply :
   1. If the plural form of the noun does not end in -n then in Dativ the plural noun should be made to end in -n. Example : Bücher -> Büchern 
   2. If there is no indefinite article kein or possessive word sein/mein/dein before the noun then in Nominativ and Akkusativ, the adjective will take the endings of the definite article.Nominativ : kleine Bücher. The definite article is die for nominativ plural. So klein becomes kleine.

      Akkusativ : kleine Bücher. The definite article is die for akkusativ plural. So klein becomes kleine. This is just as in nominativ.

      Dativ : kleinen Büchern. den is the definite article for Dativ plural. So klein becomes kleinen. Also per rule 1 above Bücher becomes Büchern.

   3. If there is indefinite article kein or possessive word sein/mein/dein before the noun then in Nominativ and Akkusativ, „the adjective will always take the ending -en“ and „kein/sein/mein/dein will take the endings of the definite article“.
      Nominativ : meine kleinen Bücher. The definite article is die for nominativ plural. So „mein becomes meine“ and „klein becomes kleinen“.Akkusativ : meine kleinen Bücher. The definite article is die for akkusativ plural. So „mein becomes meine“ and „klein becomes kleinen“. This is same as in nominativ.

      Dativ : meinen kleinen Büchern. den is the definite article for Dativ plural. So „mein becomes meinen“ and „klein becomes kleinen“.