4.11 Adjective endings II — after ein (mixed) and with no article (strong) — Epoché
What you will be able to do Write the mixed adjective endings, used after ein , kein and the possessives: ein alter Mann , ein neues Auto . Write the strong adjective endings, used with no article: guter Wein , kaltes Wasser , mit großer Sorgfalt . Bring all three tables under one principle: if the article does not show the case, the adjective does. Explain the endings of everyday phrases such as Guten Morgen and Herzlichen Glückwunsch . Sentences from this lesson, before the explanation. Read the German aloud; all of them come back below. German English Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum neuen Haus! [1] My congratulations on your new home! Er hat ein neues und ein altes Auto. [2] He has a new car and an old car. Herzlichen Glückwunsch, Sie haben gewonnen! [3] Congratulations, you won! Ich habe mich mit meinen Freunden in der Stadt getroffen. [4] I met my friends in town. Ich habe mich mit ein paar guten alten Freunden getroffen. [5] I met up with a couple of good old friends. Ich hätte gerne frisches Obst. [6] I'd like some fresh fruit. Gefällt euch mein neues Hemd? [7] Do you like my new shirt? Prerequisites : 4.10 — you need the weak endings from 4.10 Cases and the table of ein and kein from 4.2 Cases . The last lesson showed that after der, die, das the adjective gets away with two endings because the article has already shown the case. This lesson covers the two situations where the article cannot do that: after ein , which has no ending in three cells, and with no article at all. Many textbooks present three separate tables to memorise. You will learn them as one idea, and the tables will follow from it. The principle Every noun phrase in German needs one clear signal of case and gender. That signal is the ending of the definite article: -r in der , -n in den , -m in dem , -s in das and des , -e in die . Call these the strong endings . If the first word of the phrase carries a strong ending, the adjective after it takes a weak ending, -e or -en . That is 4.10 Cases . If there is no first word with a strong ending, the adjective takes the strong ending itself. That is the whole system. The strong ending appears once, on the first word that can carry it. Table Mixed endings, after ein , kein and the possessives. ein has a strong ending in most cells, so the adjective is weak there. But in three cells ein has no ending at all — the masculine nominative and the neuter nominative and accusative — and in exactly those three the adjective takes the strong ending. Case Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural, with kein Nominative ein alter Mann eine alte Frau ein altes Haus keine alten Leute Accusative einen alten Mann eine alte Frau ein altes Haus keine alten Leute Dative einem alten Mann einer alten Frau einem alten Haus keinen alten Leuten Genitive eines alten Mannes einer alten Frau eines alten Hauses keiner alten Leute Compare it with the weak table from the last lesson: only the three cells with a bare ein are different. der alte Mann becomes ein alter Mann , borrowing the -r of der ; das alte Haus becomes ein altes Haus , borrowing the -s of das . Strong endings, with no article. Here the adjective carries the article's ending everywhere. Case Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural Nominative guter Wein gute Milch gutes Wasser gute Freunde Accusative guten Wein gute Milch gutes Wasser gute Freunde Dative gutem Wein guter Milch gutem Wasser guten Freunden Genitive guten Weines guter Milch guten Wassers guter Freunde Read each cell against the definite article: der — guter , den — guten , dem — gutem , die — gute , das — gutes . The one exception is the masculine and neuter genitive, guten Weines , where the adjective is weak because the noun's own -s already shows the case. This form is rare in practice. Mixed endings in real sentences German English Ich bin ein alter Mann. [8] I'm an old man. Er ist ein guter Arzt. [9] He is a good doctor. Kaufe ein neues Auto. [10] Buy a new car. Gefällt dir mein neues Hemd? [11] Do you like my new shirt? Es war eine gute Idee. [12] It was a good idea. Sie trug einen neuen Hut. [13] She was wearing a new hat. Ich wohne in einem kleinen Haus. [14] I live in a small house. Ich lebe in einer kleinen Stadt. [15] I'm living in a small town. Das ist keine gute Idee. [16] That isn't a good idea. The first four show the three special cells: ein alter , ein guter , ein neues , mein neues . In the rest, eine, einen, einem, einer, keine carry the signal and the adjective is weak. When the noun is left out, the endings stay exactly as they were, and German needs no word for English one : the strong -s on the adjective is enough to show that a neuter noun is meant. German English Ich brauche ein neues. [17] I need a new one. Strong endings in real sentences German English Guter Wein schadet nie. [18] Good wine never hurts. Bitte kaltes Wasser. [19] Cold water, please. Ich hätte gerne heißen Tee. [20] I would like some hot tea, please. Ich habe mich mit kaltem Wasser gewaschen. [21] I had a wash in cold water. Der Garten wird mit großer Sorgfalt gepflegt. [22] The garden is tended with great care. Du und ich, wir sind alte Freunde. [23] You and I are old friends. Strong endings are common with words for food and drink, which are often used without an article, and with plurals, which have no indefinite article. Greetings are strong accusatives. The everyday wishes are short for I wish you a good … , with the object in the accusative and no article. That explains the endings you have been using since the first phase. German English Guten Morgen! [24] Good morning. Gute Nacht! [25] Good night! Herzlichen Dank! [26] Thank you very much! Guten Morgen has -en because Morgen is masculine and the phrase is accusative: compare den Morgen . Gute Nacht has -e because Nacht is feminine: die Nacht . How English does it English has no endings, but it has the same choice. English also distinguishes the old man , an old man and plain old men ; it just does not mark the difference on the adjective.