If an adjective directly precedes the noun that it describes, the ending of the adjective changes according to the noun. This change to the adjective is called adjective declension. There are three different declensions. What declension to use depends on the article before the noun: indefinite article, definite article or no article.

Adjective declension after the definite article

If the noun comes after a definite article, the adjective has the ending -e or -en.

You already know the endings of the adjectives in the nominative and the accusative:

• Adjectives before nouns in the plural (nominative, accusative) have the ending -en.
• In the accusative, adjectives before masculine nouns also have the ending -en.
• Other adjectives have the ending -e.

Adjective endings in the dative are simple: All adjectives have the ending -en.