German Grammar Lectures Lecture 6 German Adjective Endings

German Grammar Lectures Lecture 6: German Adjective Endings Designed by Paul Joyce University of Portsmouth E-Mail: Paul. Joyce@port. ac. uk

6. 1 Three types of endings • So far we have looked at 2 types of endings: • Noun declension (i. e. genitive endings for masculine & neuter nouns, dative plurals) • Definite & indefinite articles and their equivalents • The third type of endings that must be learned by heart are adjective endings

6. 2 What is an adjective? • Adjectives are words that describe, describe modify or qualify nouns or pronouns - e. g. alt, jung, neu, grau, freundlich • German participles can be used adjectivally: • Ich sah ein untergehendes Schiff. saw a ship going down. ) • Ich sah ein untergegangenes Schiff. (I saw a ship that had gone down. ) (I

6. 3 Predicative adjective usage • Adjectives that follow the noun to which they refer (as part of a verbal construction) do NOT add endings. • This is the predicative use of the adjective. • Michael ist jung • Die Patientin liegt krank im Bett. • Er streicht die Wand gelb (He paints the wall yellow. )

6. 4 Attributive adjective usage • Adjectives that appear directly before the noun to which they refer DO add endings. • This is the attributive use of the adjective. Examples: • Michael ist ein junger Mann. • Die kranke Patientin liegt im Bett. • Er streicht die gelbe Wand. paints the yellow wall. ) (He

6. 5 How to choose endings • The endings that attributive adjectives take are determined by four factors: • 1) Gender of the noun • 2) Number of the noun (singular / plural) • 3) Case of the noun • 4) Type of article preceding the adjective • There are THREE basic types of endings.

6. 6 Weak adjective declension • The “weak” adjective endings are used after the definite article and its equivalents: • der - the (definite article) • dieser - this; jener - that • jeder - each; welcher? - which? • aller, sämtlicher - all • beide (= plural) - both

6. 7 Weak adjective endings • The “weak” declension only has TWO possible endings: -e and -en • -e is only used with: - the nominative singular of all genders - the accusative feminine singular - the accusative neuter singular • -en is used: - in all other combinations of case & gender - in all plurals

6. 8 Weak adjective endings: alt

6. 9 Careful – learn the articles! • The weak endings show little information - 2 endings only!- because they are used after determiners whose endings clearly show the case, case gender and number of the noun. • This means that the endings of the adjective and the determiner which governs it decline in different ways - both must be learnt! • The definite article endings were discussed in Lecture 4.

6. 10 Endings: Definite Article

6. 11 Weak adjective declension

6. 12 Other determiners • The same endings are found on the other determiners that take the weak declension: • Der Geruch dieses roten Apfels (The smell of this red apple. ) • Von welchem weißen Wein…? (From which white wine…? ) • Alle vernünftigen Menschen wissen das! (All sensible people know that!)

6. 13 beide / die beiden • Beide (= both) can be used as a determiner it then declines like dieser. • It can also be used as a simple adjective, adjective in which case it takes the endings determined by the article: • Beide Brüder sind gestern abgereist. • Die beiden Brüder sind gestern abgereist. • Seine beiden Brüder sind gestern abgereist.

6. 14 Quiz: weak adjective endings • Welch____ neu____ Haus gefällt Ihnen? (= Which new house do you like? ) • Östlich d____ deutsch____ Gebiet___. (= To the east of the German territory. ) • Ich rede mit dies____ jung____ Dame. (= I’m talking to this young lady. ) • Wir kennen jed____ britisch____ Film. (= We know every British film. )

6. 15 Quiz: answers • Welches neue Haus gefällt Ihnen? (= Which new house do you like? ) • Östlich des deutschen Gebiets To the east of the German territory. ) • Ich rede mit dieser jungen Dame. (= I’m talking to this young lady. ) • Wir kennen jeden britischen Film. We know every British film. ) (= (=

6. 16 Strong adjective declension • “Strong” adjective endings are used if there is no determiner before the adjective whose ending clearly shows the case, case gender and number of the noun. This happens: • when there is no determiner at all • after simple numerals - zwei, drei usw. • after certain plurals - viele, wenige, ein paar, mehrere, einige, etliche, folgende

6. 17 Strong adjective endings: neu

6. 18 Strong adjective declension

6. 19 Strong adjective declension • Starkes Bier wirkt erfrischend. (Strong beer is refreshing. ) • Der Geruch heißen Tees ist überall. (The aroma of hot tea is everywhere. ) • Ich esse Spaghetti mit kalter Tomatensauce. (I eat spaghetti with cold tomato sauce) • Brasilianischer Kaffee mit frischer Milch (Brazilian coffee with fresh milk. )

6. 20 Strong adj. endings: numerals • Acht fleißige Student. Innen waren da. (Eight hard-working students were there. ) • Eine Begegnung mit drei alten Männern (A meeting with three old men. ) • Der Bau vier neuer Schiffe (The construction of four new ships) • Seht ihr neunundneunzig rote Luftballons? (Do you see 99 red balloons? )

6. 21 Strong adjectives : numerals (2) • BUT if a number is used after an article, article then the endings on any following adjective are governed by the article - not the number. • Fünf kluge Schüler (BUT: Die fünf klugen Schüler) • Wegen fünf kluger Schüler (BUT: Wegen der fünf klugen Schüler) • Zwei artige Kinder (BUT: Seine zwei artigen Kinder)

6. 22 Strong adj. endings : plurals • Mehrere richtige Antworten sind möglich. (Several correct answers are possible. ) • Es gibt viele gute Gründe. (There are many good reasons. ) • Trotz ein paar kleiner Schwierigkeiten. (Despite a few small difficulties) • Eine Stadt mit einigen alten Bauwerken (A town with a few old buildings)

6. 23 Quiz: strong adjective endings • Der Geschmack belgisch____ Bier___ (= The taste of Belgian beer) • Gibt es genug heiß____ Wasser für alle? (= Is there enough hot water for everyone? ) • Er fand mehrer____ schwarz____ Löcher. (= He found several black holes. ) • Wegen viel____ typisch____ Fehler. (= Because of many typical mistakes)

6. 24 Quiz (2): answers • Der Geschmack belgischen Biers (= The taste of Belgian beer) • Gibt es genug heißes Wasser für alle? (= Is there enough hot water for everyone? ) • Er fand mehrere schwarze Löcher. (= He found several black holes. ) • Wegen vieler typischer Irrtümer (= Because of many typical mistakes)

6. 25 mancher, solcher etc. • Some determiners vary in usage depending on number. The following determiners all take the weak declension in the singular: singular • folgender mit folgendem starken Partner • irgendwelcher durch irgendwelchen puren Unsinn • mancher brave Mann • solcher solches dumme Gerede

6. 26 mancher, solcher (2) • BUT their usage is less clear in the plural. • Weak endings are more usual after solche and irgendwelche: irgendwelche solche schönen Tage (rarely: schöne) irgendwelche dummen Leute • Strong endings are more usual after manche neue Orte (less common: neuen) en • Strong endings are the rule after folgende: folgende gute Beispiele

6. 27 Mixed adjective declension • The mixed adjective declension uses weak and strong endings according to context. • The mixed adjective endings are used after the indefinite article and its equivalents: • ein - a, an (definite article) • kein - not a, no • possessives - mein, dein, sein, ihr / Ihr, unser, euer

6. 28 Mixed adjective endings • Mixed adjective endings are so called because they “mix” weak and strong adjective endings • Strong adjective endings are used with: - the nominative singular of all genders the accusative feminine singular the accusative neuter singular • The weak adjective ending -en is used: - in all other combinations of case & gender - in all plurals - -

6. 29 Mixed adjective endings: gut

6. 30 Mixed adjective declension

6. 31 Indefinite Article + Adjective • Die Bundesrepublik ist ein großes Land. (The Federal Republic is a large country. ) • Er stahl einer jungen Frau die Handtasche. (He stole a handbag from a young woman. ) • Sie hatten keine weiteren Fragen. (They had no further questions. ) • Am Ende eines langen Tages (At the end of a long day)

6. 32 Endings: Possessive + Adjective

6. 33 Examples: Possessive + Adjective • Ihr politischer Kurs nützt niemandem! (Your political course isn’t helping anybody!) • Das ist die Farbe unseres neuen Autos. (That is the colour of our new car. ) • Geht zu eurem hervorragenden Bäcker! (Go to your excellent baker!) • Das liegt an meiner schwierigen Situation. (That is due to my difficult situation. )

6. 34 Quiz: mixed endings • Darf ich mein__ groß__ Bruder mitbringen? (= Can I bring my big brother? ) • Nach unser____ letzt___ Afrikareise (= After our last journey to Africa) • Das ist kein___ schlecht____ Idee. (= That’s not a bad idea. ) • Wegen eu____ besoffen____ Lehrer___ (= Because of your drunk teacher)

6. 35 Quiz (3): answers • Darf ich meinen großen Bruder mitbringen? (= Can I bring my big brother? ) • Nach unserer letzten Afrikareise (= After our last journey to Africa) • Das ist keine schlechte Idee. (= That’s not a bad idea. ) • Wegen eures besoffenen Lehrers (= Because of your drunken teacher)

6. 36 Two or more adjectives. . . • Two or more adjectives preceding a noun all have the same endings: • Sie trinken gutes bayrisches Bier. (They are drinking good Bavarian beer. ) • Die Lösung wichtiger sozialer Probleme. (The solution to important social problems. ) • Das ist mein lieber alter Vater. (That is my dear old father. )

6. 37…or adverb + adjective? • BUT take care not to put adjective endings on an adverb that qualifies an adjective: • Das ist ein unglaubliches Ding (That is an unbelievable thing!) • Das ist ein unglaublich schönes Gefühl. (That is an unbelievably beautiful feeling. ) • Alex ist ein unheilbar fauler Junge. (Alex is an incurably lazy boy. ) • Alex ist ein unheilbarer, fauler Junge. (Alex is an incurable lazy boy. )

6. 38 Participles used as adjectives • Any part of speech used as an adjectives will take the appropriate endings: • Present Participle enttäuschende Zahlen • Past Participle ein untergegangenes Schiff • Comparative mein größerer Bruder • Superlative das kleinste Handy der Welt (N. B. Linz ist die drittgrößte Stadt Österreichs)

6. 39 Adjectives used as nouns • Adjectives used as nouns also have weak, mixed or strong endings depending on the determiner that precedes them. • In other words, they take the same endings as an adjective would if it were in that position in the clause. They thus have the same endings as any preceding adjective: • e. g. ein zuverlässiger Angestellter (= a reliable employee), vom unbekannten Fremden (= from an unknown stranger)

6. 40 Key adjectival nouns • der/die Deutsche the German • der/die Fremde the stranger • der/die Bekannte the acquaintance • der/die Angestellte the employee • der/die Jugendliche the youth • der/die Reisende the traveller • der/die Verwandte the relative • der/die Vorsitzende the chairperson

6. 41 Adjectival Noun + definite article

6. 42 Adjectival Noun + indefinite article

6. 43 Adjectival nouns: strong endings • The following endings are taken by adjectives used as nouns in the strong declension: declension • Nominative Deutsche sind skeptisch • Accusative Ekuador für Reisende • Genitive das Gepäck Reisender • Dative Er hilft Obdachlosen

6. 44 City adjectives ending in -er • Adjectives in -er formed from the names of towns and cities are written with a capital letter and do not inflect (i. e. add endings): • the Berlin Wall die Berliner Mauer • Cologne cathedral der Kölner Dom • a Viennese tradition eine Wiener Tradition • Swiss cheese Schweizer Käse • (the nineties die neunziger Jahre) Jahre

6. 45 Foreign colours • Some foreign colour adjectives ending in a vowel do not take endings: • beige ein beige Mantel • lila sein lila Trikot • orange die orange Farbe • rosa ihr rosa Sofa • (Also: prima eine prima Idee)

6. 46 Adjectives ending in -el • Adjectives in -el always drop the -e- of the stem when the adjective takes endings: • dunkel ein dunkler Wald (NOT: dunkeler) • flexibel sein flexibles Design • miserabel der miserable Service • passabel mit einer passablen Leistung • respektabel ein respektables Wachstum

6. 47 Adjectives ending in -er • Foreign adjectives in -er and those with -auor -eu- before the -er always drop the -e-: -e • makaber (foreign) die makabre Geschichte • sauer (-au-) deine saure Miene • teuer (-eu-) trotz teurer Geschenke • Other -er adjectives keep the -e- however: • munter ein munteres Kind

6. 48 The adjective hoch • When inflected, hoch has the special stem hoh - to which the endings are added: • Ist Ben Nevis ein hoher Berg? Ben Nevis a high mountain? ) • Ja, der Berg ist sehr hoch. (Yes, the mountain is very high. ) • Wir fahren mit hoher Geschwindigkeit. (We are travelling at high speed. ) (Is