Notes On Adjectives

Question 1

Declension of adjectives

Answer 1

Adjectives are declined when used attributively
I.e. Ein guter Mensch declines but der Mensch ist gut does not

There is strong declension if there is no determiner in the phrase
Eg frisches Obst
Or if the determiner in the noun phrase has no ending
Eg ein älterer Herr (basically for ‘ein’)

Question 2

Special cases of adjectival declension

Answer 2

Some foreign adjectives ending in a full vowel (e.g. Prima/Lila etc) do not take endings.

However for colours the suffix -Farben/farbig is used which does decline.

Adjectives used as an adverb to qualify an adjective does not decline:
Ein unheilbarer, fauler Junge (an incurable and lazy boys)
Vs ein unheilbar fauler junge (an incurable lazy boy)

In addition adjectives ending in -er from town names or numerals do not decline
Eg die Leipziger Messer or die Neunziger Jahre

Endingless adjectives are used with names of letters and numerals
Eg ‘klein z’ or gross A

Question 3

Adjectival nouns

Answer 3

All adjectives and participles can be used as nouns in German
Eg der Alte (old man), das Alte (old things), die Alte (old woman), die Alten (old people)

Masculine refers to male person, feminine to female person, neuter to a thing.

Adjectives used as nouns also decline like adjectives following the same rules.

Question 4

Case with adjectives

Answer 4

Many adjectives can be used with a noun dependent on them, which takes or ‘governs’ a particular case.

Dative: sie ist ihrem Bruder sehr ähnlich
Accusative: ich bin den Lärm nicht gewöhnt
Genitive: sie ist der Deutschen Sprache mächtig

Dative is the most common case used with adjectives
Accusative is often use in verbal constructions with sein or werden (eg gewohnt sein)
Genitive is mostly reserved for formal German, however can be used with ‘voll’ (i.e. Full of) but can also be used with ‘voll von’ or ‘voll mit’

Question 5

Adjective declension after determiners

Answer 5

Generally the adjective has weak endings following any determiners which itself has an ending showing case/number/gender of the noun.

However:

Weak endings are always used in the singular
Eg mancher brave Mann

Usage in plural varies for different determiners:

After alle, beide and sämtliche - weak endings are usual

After irgendwelche and solche - weak endings are more frequent

After manche - strong endings are more frequent

After einige, etliche, folgende, mehrere, viele, wenige - strong endings are general rule

Question 6

Names of languages as adjectives/nouns

Answer 6

The most common form, used to refer to the language in a specific context, or when an adjective precedes is a neuter adjective with no ending.
Eg wir lernen spanisch, englisch, russisch

When referring to the language in a general sense the declined adjectival neuter noun is used
Eg das englische ist dem Deutschen verwandt.