🎓 Prepared by students from Boğaziçi University

What are Adjective Endings with Indefinite Articles?

In German, adjectives must match the case, gender, and number of the noun they modify—but when paired with indefinite articles (ein, eine, ein), the ending pattern is unique. The adjective 'borrows' some information from the article, so its ending is simpler than the definite article version.

Short answer

Adjective endings with indefinite articles are the suffixes added to adjectives that agree with the noun's case, gender, and number. With ein/eine/ein, the endings follow a predictable pattern: -er, -es, -e, -en, etc., depending on case and gender.

Adjective Endings with ein/eine/ein

Masculine & Neuter (ein)

•Nominative: -er (ein großer Mann)
•Accusative: -en (einen großen Mann)
•Dative: -en (einem großen Mann)

Feminine (eine)

•Nominative: -e (eine große Frau)
•Accusative: -e (eine große Frau)
•Dative: -en (einer großen Frau)

Step-by-step worked examples

Complete: Ich sehe einen ... (schön) Garten.

The noun 'Garten' is masculine accusative (object of 'sehe').
With ein/eine/ein, masculine accusative = -en ending.
Answer: ich sehe einen schönen Garten.

Complete: Das ist eine ... (neu) Wohnung.

The noun 'Wohnung' is feminine nominative (subject).
With ein/eine/ein, feminine nominative = -e ending.
Answer: Das ist eine neue Wohnung.

Complete: Sie schreibt einem ... (klug) Student ein Buch.

The noun 'Student' is masculine dative (after 'schreibt').
With ein/eine/ein, masculine dative = -en ending.
Answer: Sie schreibt einem klugen Student ein Buch.

Flashcards

Quick quiz

Q1.Complete: ein ... (alt) Buch

Correct answer: C. Neuter nominative with ein = -es ending (altes Buch).

Q2.Fill in: Ich kenne eine ... (interessant) Frau.

Correct answer: A. Feminine accusative with eine = -e ending (interessante Frau).

Q3.Which ending for masculine dative?

Correct answer: C. Masculine dative always uses -en (einem großen Mann).

Q4.Complete: ein ... (neu) Auto

Correct answer: B. Neuter nominative with ein = -es ending (neues Auto).

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Common mistakes

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Using the same ending for all cases. — Correct: Adjective endings change with case: -er (nom.), -en (acc./dat.).

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Confusing indefinite article endings with adjective endings. — Correct: The article and adjective have different endings; both must agree with the noun.

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Ignoring gender when choosing the ending. — Correct: Feminine and masculine/neuter nominatives use different endings: -e vs. -er.

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Thinking the adjective ending is the same as the definite article version. — Correct: Indefinite articles have a different ending pattern than definite articles (ein ≠ der).

FAQ

What are adjective endings with indefinite articles?

They are suffixes (-er, -e, -en, etc.) added to adjectives to match the noun's case, gender, and number when preceded by ein, eine, or ein.

Why do adjectives need endings?

German adjectives must agree (in case, gender, number) with the noun they modify. The ending signals this agreement.

What's the difference between masculine nominative and accusative?

Masculine nominative uses -er (ein großer Mann); accusative uses -en (einen großen Mann).

Are feminine endings different from masculine?

Yes—feminine nominative is -e (eine große Frau), while masculine is -er (ein großer Mann).