This 20-item Adjective Endings Quiz was related to two previous features on adjective endings: Part I (Nominative) and Part II (Accusative/Dative). If you were not completely sure about the German adjective endings in the nominative, accusative, and dative cases (with a definite or indefinite article), then you should have reviewed those guidelines before attempting this exercises.
KEY with COMMENTARY and TIPS - The correct adjective ending is shown in CAPS.
The instructions included this reminder: "...remember to pay attention to these three important factors: case, number, and gender!" - NOTE: Adjective endings are influenced by these 3 factors. Any mistakes you made are probably because you forgot one or more of the 3 factors - or (equally bad) you didn't recognize one of the three. One key to success here is the GENDER factor. Do you recognize the difference between die Lehrer and der Lehrer (item 2) or die Mädchen and das Mädchen (item 4)? A German-speaker does. The first of each pair is plural, the second singular.
Übung - Endungen
1. Jeden Tag grüßt er seinen altEN Nachbarn.
When you have an -en on the article before the adjective, the adj. also takes -en. This is in the accusative (dir. object) case, and the masculine always is -en/-en in the accusative.
2. Die neuEN Lehrer kommen am Dienstag.
DER Lehrer would be singular, but this is plural, as the verb also indicates. The plural adj. ending is ALWAYS -en with an article. Easy rule.
3. Gefällt Ihnen der grauE Anzug?
'Der Anzug' is the subject (nominative) of the sentence.
4. Ja, ich sehe die schönEN Mädchen!
This is plural. Singular would be DAS.
5. Sie schickt ihrer krankEN Mutter in Hamburg eine Karte.
Remember this SIMPLE RULE: Dative adj. endings are ALWAYS -en! This is dative because "she" is sending something TO her sick mother.
6. Die Nächte sind jetzt kühler_ geworden.
If the adjective comes AFTER the noun, there is NO ending.
7. Sie haben ein großES Haus in Dresden.
You have to know that it is DAS HAUS, thus the -es ending. A hint about ein-words: Since ein does not tell us the gender of the noun (it could be das or der), the adj. ending has to.
8. Das ist ein herrlichER Baum!
'Baum' is masculine. See comment for item 7 above.
9. Die Zugspitze ist der höchstE Berg Deutschlands.
Since DER tells us the gender of 'Berg' we only need the minimal adj. ending: -e.
10. Willst du der neuEN Schülerin helfen?
helfen always takes the DATIVE case, making DIE Schülerin der. Make sure you now your dative verbs: danken, helfen, etc.
(Fem. endings are always easy!)
12. Der Händler hat keine blauEN Wagen.
Plural! ("no blue cars") Singular would be "keinEN blauEN Wagen."
13. Der Film heißt "Das schrecklichE Mädchen".
This was your 'clue' for item 4! (And the movie is a good one, based on a true story. The English title is mistranslated as "The Nasty Girl.")
14. Mein Wagen ist blau_.
(Same reason as #6.)
15. Gehst du denn mit deiner älterEN Schwester?
mit takes the DATIVE. And the dative adj. ending is always... ???
16. _DER freundlichE_ Verkäufer hat alles verkauft.
DER tells you the gender, so you only need the minimal ending of -e. Die freundlichen would be plural, but hat ("has") is singular.
17. Ich habe _meinEM klugEN_ Bruder alles wieder erklärt.
If you tell your brother something, you tell it TO him—thus the dative (indirect object) in German.
18. Das ist so _EIN schönES_ Lied!
song = DAS Lied (neuter)
19. Ich wollte aber _DEN kaltEN_ Kaffee nicht trinken.
The 'cold coffee' (der) is accusative (den, direct object).
20. _SEIN neuER_ Kugelschreiber ist schon kaputt.
ballpoint pen = DER Kugelschreiber (masculine). SEIN is an EIN-word that requires a 'strong' adj. ending (indicating the gender).
Thanks for trying this exercise! Hope it helped you to learn just a little more German.
QUESTIONS about this quiz? Post them in the German Forum!
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Related Pages
Adjective Endings I (Nominative)
Adjective Endings II (Accusative/Dative)
Adjective Endings in German
A simpler approach to dealing with those pesky endings.
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