Adjective Endings in German A Different Approach
A guest article by
Prof. Eckhard Kuhn-Osius
Hunter College, CUNY
Here is a different way of approaching adjective endings in German—an approach that avoids thinking in terms of charts and complicated rules. This method has worked well for me and my students. Perhaps it will also work for you. This approach only requires you to ask yourself two simple questions.
The basic premise is to separate thinking about CASES (nominative, accusative, etc.) from thinking about ADJECTIVE ENDINGS, since most learners tend to get confused when they have to combine the two. While this approach may not magically transform you into a spontaneous master of adjective endings, it takes the fear out of adjective endings and eliminates some of the frustrations of German grammar.
First, can you fill in the correct endings in the following seven-sentence exercise? If you are uncertain about which adjective endings go in the blanks, then proceed to Question One below.
1. Ich kenne einen deutsch__ Studenten.
2. Der deutsch__ Student hei?t Rudi.
3. Rudi hat ein interessant__ Hobby.
4. Das interessant__ Hobby ist Ostereiermalen. [ |
