German Cases: Articles and Noun Endings
Learn the definite article forms in all four German cases. Practise genitive -(e)s, dative plural -n, and how verbs and prepositions determine case.
Explanation
The four cases
**Case** shows the role of a noun phrase in a sentence. A verb or preposition often determines the case.
| Case | German question | Typical role |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | wer? was? | subject |
| Accusative | wen? was? | direct object |
| Dative | wem? | recipient or complement of a dative verb |
| Genitive | wessen? | possession or relationship |
Definite articles
| Case | masculine | feminine | neuter | plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | **der** | **die** | **das** | **die** |
| Accusative | **den** | **die** | **das** | **die** |
| Dative | **dem** | **der** | **dem** | **den** |
| Genitive | **des** | **der** | **des** | **der** |
Key signals are **den** for masculine accusative, **dem/der** for dative, and **des/der** for genitive.
Noun endings
In the genitive singular, most masculine and neuter nouns take **-(e)s**:
- der Park → wegen **des Parks**
- das Kind → das Zimmer **des Kindes**
Short nouns and nouns ending in a sibilant often take **-es**; many polysyllabic nouns take **-s**.
In the dative plural, the noun normally adds **-n**:
- die Gäste → mit **den Gästen**
- die Fahrräder → auf **den Fahrrädern**
Do not add **-n** when the plural already ends in **-n/-en**, or when it ends in **-s**: **mit den Frauen**, **mit den Autos**.
What determines the case?
Some verbs require a fixed case: **jemandem helfen** (dative), **etwas suchen** (accusative). Prepositions also determine case: **mit, nach, zu** + dative; **durch, für, ohne, um** + accusative. The genitive often expresses possession: **die Tür des Hauses**.
Learn new verbs and prepositions together with their case. Then check both the article and the noun ending.
Exercises
- Complete the full noun phrase in the required case. Check both the article and the noun ending. (11)
- Identify the case of the marked noun phrase or choose the form required by the governing word. (11)
- Write a complete sentence from the cue. Put the noun phrase in the correct case. (11)
A2 · German · Grammar