I can describe a place and a thing: say not just “hotel” but “quiet hotel”, and get the ending right after der, die, and das.
Which one: the ending after der, die, das
Which one: the ending after der, die, das
Today you describe places and things inside a sentence with one word: an adjective.
After sein the adjective doesn't change, as in English: Das Hotel ist ruhig. Die Zimmer sind sauber.
But before a noun a German adjective always takes an ending; an English one never does. After der, die, das — and after dieser (“this”) — there are only two endings: -e and -en.
-e is in five cells: der, die, das in the “who or what” row (the Nominativ, the subject) and die, das in the “whom or what” row (the Akkusativ, the direct object): der ruhige Park, die alte Stadt, das moderne Hotel, ich kenne das moderne Hotel.
Every other cell has -en, including the whole “to whom, with what” row (the Dativ: after mit, nach, bei, von, zu): den ruhigen Park, mit dem bequemen Bus, die kleinen Inseln.
Remember: in the Dativ plural the noun itself adds -n: mit den bequemen Zügen.
Common mistakes:
• NOT “der schön Strand” — der schöne Strand.
• NOT “Ich kenne der schöne Strand” — Ich kenne den schönen Strand.
• NOT “das modernes Hotel” — das moderne Hotel.
• NOT “die kleine Inseln” — die kleinen Inseln.
• NOT “Das Zimmer ist saubere” — Das Zimmer ist sauber.
The ending after der, die, das
After mit, nach, bei, von, and zu comes the dative — there the ending is always -en.
| Question | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| who or what | der schöne Strand | die kleine Insel | das große Schloss | die bekannten Städte |
| whom or what | den schönen Strand | die kleine Insel | das große Schloss | die bekannten Städte |
| to whom, with what | dem schönen Strand | der kleinen Insel | dem großen Schloss | den bekannten Städten |
Lesson notes
Which one: the ending after der, die, das
Today you describe places and things inside a sentence with one word: an adjective.
After sein the adjective doesn't change, as in English: Das Hotel ist ruhig. Die Zimmer sind sauber.
But before a noun a German adjective always takes an ending; an English one never does. After der, die, das — and after dieser (“this”) — there are only two endings: -e and -en.
-e is in five cells: der, die, das in the “who or what” row (the Nominativ, the subject) and die, das in the “whom or what” row (the Akkusativ, the direct object): der ruhige Park, die alte Stadt, das moderne Hotel, ich kenne das moderne Hotel.
Every other cell has -en, including the whole “to whom, with what” row (the Dativ: after mit, nach, bei, von, zu): den ruhigen Park, mit dem bequemen Bus, die kleinen Inseln.
Remember: in the Dativ plural the noun itself adds -n: mit den bequemen Zügen.
Common mistakes:
• NOT “der schön Strand” — der schöne Strand.
• NOT “Ich kenne der schöne Strand” — Ich kenne den schönen Strand.
• NOT “das modernes Hotel” — das moderne Hotel.
• NOT “die kleine Inseln” — die kleinen Inseln.
• NOT “Das Zimmer ist saubere” — Das Zimmer ist sauber.