German Cases: Articles and Noun Endings
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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