Gender and case of nouns

All nouns in German have a gender: masculine, feminine, or neuter. The gender of a noun is determined by its definite article. der = masculine die = feminine das = neuter * All plural nouns are feminine!!!!!!!!!! The gender may also be identified by the indefinite article of the noun. ein = masculine or neuter eine = feminine

There are four cases in the German language: Nominative = subject The definite and indefinite articles of nouns change their forms depending on the function of the noun in a sentence. This is called declension of the noun by case. There are four cases in the German language: Nominative = subject Genitive = object of the preposition (not shown in this book series) Dative = indirect object Accusative = direct object

Nominative Case Nominative Case is the subject case. Nouns are in the Nominative Case when they are the doers of the action in the sentence. With Nominative Case, we use der, die, and das with the nouns. We can also use ein and eine.

Der Mann läuft 100 Meter. Die Beatrice springt weit. Das Buch ist interessant. Ein Schüler wirft Speer. Eine Mutter liebt uns immer.

Accusative Case Accusative Case is the direct object case. Nouns are in the Accusative Case when they are the receivers of the action of the verb. With Accusative Case the article der changes to den. The “ein” for masculine nouns changes to “einen”. Feminine and neuter nouns keep their articles.

Ich sehe den Mann. Sie wirft den Ball im Park. Ich trinke einen Kaffee.

Nominative Case Pronouns Pronouns also change case. Nominative Case Pronouns ich wir du ihr er sie sie Sie es

Accusative Case Pronouns mich uns dich euch ihn sie sie Sie es

Masculine nouns Masculine nouns have the most changes. der Mann N der Mann ein Mann G des Mannes eines Mannes D dem Mann einem Mann A den Mann einen Mann Der Mann sieht den Hund. Den Mann sieht der Hund.

Feminine nouns Feminine nouns have the fewest changes. die Frau N die Frau eine Frau G der Frau einer Frau D der Frau einer Frau A die Frau eine Frau

Neuter nouns Neuter nouns have fewer changes than masculine, but more than feminine. Das Kind N das Kind ein Kind G des Kindes eines Kindes D dem Kind einem Kind A das Kind ein Kind