Review of Declensions of Nouns

Question 1

1:

Answer 1

Feminine Singular nouns remain unchanged in all Singular cases.

Examples:
Singular: | Typewriter | Street
Nom. | die Schreibmaschine | die Straße
Acc. | die Schreibmaschine | die Straße
Dat. | der Schreibmaschine | der Straße
Gen. | der Schreibmaschine | der Straße

Question 2

2:

Answer 2

All Neuter and most Masculine Singular add -s or -es (if one syllable) to Genitive Singular.

Examples:
Singular: | Shoe | Shirt
Nom. | der Schuh | das Hemd
Acc. | den Schuh | das Hemd
Dat. | dem Schuh | dem Hemd
Gen. | des Schuhes | des Hemdes

Note:The genitive singular of shoe is generally written des Schuhs in colloquial German.

Question 3

3:

Answer 3

Masculine nouns that end in -e in Nom. Sing. and designate living things add -n to form both Singular and Plural for all cases.

Example:
Lion(s)
Case | Singular | Plural
Nom. | der Löwe | die Löwen
Acc. | den Löwen | die Löwen
Dat. | dem Löwen | den Löwen
Gen. | des Löwen | der Löwen

Question 4

4:

Answer 4

All Dative Plural either adds -n or -en.

Examples:

Man | Woman | Child
Nom. Sing. | der Mann | die Frau | das Kind
Dat. Pl. | den Männern | den Frauen | den Kindern

Question 5

5:

Answer 5

In Plurals of all declensions of all genders, the Nominative, Genitive, and Accusative Plural are the same.

Examples:
Case | Forest | Pear
Nom. Sing. | der Wald | die Birne
Nom. Pl. | die Wälder | die Birnen
Acc. Pl. | die Wälder | die Birnen
Dat. Pl. | den Wäldern | den Birnen
Gen. Pl. | der Wälder | der Birnen

Question 6

Exceptions:

Answer 6

Most singular declensions can be formed from the first three rules above, but plural nouns are more complex and irregular. Some may add -n, -en, -r, -er, -e, or an umlaut over the stem vowel with a final -e, and some nouns do not change from singular to plural.

Question 7

Group 1:

Answer 7

• Singular follows rules
• Plural adds umlaut to stem vowel and -n to all datives

Father(s) (masc.)
Case | Sing. | Plural
Nom. | der Vater | die Väter
Acc. | den Vater | die Väter
Dat. | dem Vater | den Vätern
Gen. | des Vaters | der Väter

Nouns belonging to this group:Most nouns whose Nom. Sing. end in -el, -en, -er; and neuter nouns that begin with Ge- and end with -e.

Question 8

Group 2:

Answer 8

• Singular follows rules
• Pluralsometimesadds umlaut to stem vowel and -e to Nominative, Genitive, and Accusative; -en to Dative

Fruit (fem.)
Case | Sing. | Plural
Nom. | dieFrucht | die Früchte
Acc. | die Frucht | die Früchte
Dat. | der Frucht | den Früchten
Gen. | der Frucht | der Früchte

Nouns belonging to this group:Masculine that are one syllable; half of feminine and neuter that are one syllable.

Question 9

Group 3:

Answer 9

• Singular follow rules
• Plural adds umlaut to stem vowel and -er to Nominative, Genitive, and Accusative; -ern to Dative

Man/men (masc.)
Case | Sing. | Plural
Nom. | der Mann | die Männer
Acc. | den Mann | die Männer
Dat. | dem Mann | den Männern
Gen. | des Mannes | der Männer

Nouns belonging to this group:Many neuter that are one syllable; no feminine nouns.

Question 10

Group 4:

Answer 10

• Singular adds -en to all Masculine Dative, Accusative, and Genitive; Feminine follows rule
• Plural adds -n or -en to all forms

Student (s) | Woman/Women
Case | Sing. | Plural | Sing. | Plural
Nom. | der Student | die Studenten | die Frau | die Frauen
Acc. | den Studenten | die Studenten | die Frau | die Frauen
Dat. | dem Studenten | den Studenten | der Frau | den Frauen
Gen. | des Studenten | der Studenten | der Frau | der Frauen

Nouns belonging to this group:Most feminine that are more than one syllable, most masculine that denote living things; no neuter nouns.

Question 11

Group 5:

Answer 11

• Add -s to Genitive Singular
• Add -s to all plural forms

Auto(s) (neu.)
Case | Sing. | Plural
Nom. | das Auto | die Autos
Acc. | das Auto | die Autos
Dat. | dem Auto | den Autos
Gen. | des Autos | der Autos

Nouns belonging to this group:Foreign origin words, such as das Radio, das Restaurant, and das Hotel.

Question 12

Group 6-Irregular:

Answer 12

• Add -ns or -ens to Genitive Singular
• Add -en to Dative Singular, may add -en to Accusative Singular
• All plural add -en

Heart(s) | Name(s)
Case | Sing. | Plural | Sing. | Plural
Nom. | das Herz | die Herzen | der Name | die Namen
Acc. | das Herz | die Herzen | den Namen | die Namen
Dat. | dem Herzen | den Herzen | dem Namen | den Namen
Gen. | des Herzens | der Herzen | des Namens | der Namen

Question 13

Group 7-Mixed:

Answer 13

• Add -s or -es for Genitive Singular
• Add -n or -en for all plural

Bed(s) (neu.)
Case | Sing. | Plural
Nom. | das Bett | die Betten
Acc. | das Bett | die Betten
Dat. | dem Bett | den Betten
Gen. | des Bettes | der Betten