Pronouns & Adjectives
Personal pronouns must agree with their antecedent in number and gender. Their case must be appropriate for their use in the sentence.
Personal Pronouns
Singular
| Person | 1st | 2nd | 3rd (m.) | 3rd (n.) | 3rd (f.) | 2nd |
|
Nom.
|
ich I |
du you (s. fam.) |
er he, it |
es it (she) |
sie she, it |
Sie you (for.) |
|
Acc.
|
mich me |
dich you |
ihn him, it |
es it (her) |
sie her, it |
Sie you |
| Dat. |
mir |
dir |
ihm |
ihm |
ihr |
Ihnen |
| Gen.* | meiner | deiner | seiner | seiner | ihrer | Ihrer |
Plural
| Person | 1st | 2nd | 3rd (all genders) | 2nd |
|
Nom.
|
wir we |
ihr you |
sie they |
Sie you |
|
Acc.
|
uns us |
euch you |
sie them |
Sie you |
|
Dat.
|
uns us |
euch you |
ihnen them |
Ihnen you |
| Gen. | unser | euer | ihrer | Ihrer |
*Genitive forms of personal pronouns are very rare.
Interrogative Pronouns
Interrogative Pronouns exist in the singular only.
| Nom. | wer who |
was what |
| Acc. | wen whom |
was what |
| Dat. | wem whom |
___ |
| Gen | wessen whose |
wes, wessen of which |
welcher (which)—see demonstrative pronouns
was für ein (what kind of)—ein is declined according to its use in the sentence
Relative Pronouns
Relative pronouns in English are who, whom, whose, which, that.
They must agree with their antecedent in gender and number, and their case must be appropriate for their use in the sentence.
| masc. | neut. | fem. | pl. | |
| Nom. | der | das | die | die |
| Acc. | den | das | die | die |
| Dat. | dem | dem | der | denen |
| Gen. | dessen | dessen | deren | deren |
Use wer and was if the antecedents are not defined precisely. Forms of welcher are used sometimes in writing.
Reflexive Pronouns
Reflexive pronouns are used when the subject and object of a sentence indicate the same person or thing. Reflexives must agree with the subject in number. Their use in the sentence determines their case.
Singular
| 1st pers. | 2nd pers. | 3rd pers. | 2nd pers. formal | |
| Acc. | mich | dich | sich | sich |
| Dat. | mir | dir | sich | sich |
| Gen. | meiner | deiner | seiner selbst ihrer selbst |
Ihrerselbst |
Plural
| 1st pers. | 2nd pers. | 3rd pers. | 2nd pers. formal | |
| Acc. | uns | euch | sich | sich |
| Dat. | uns | euch | sich | sich |
| Gen. | unser | euch | ihrer selbst | Ihrer selbst |
Definite Articles
| masc. | neut. | fem. | pl. | |
| Nom. | der | das | die | die |
| Acc. | den | das | die | die |
| Dat. | dem | dem | der | den -n* |
| Gen. | des -(e)s** | des -(e)s | der | der |
*Add an “n” to all nouns in the dative plural except those ending in an “s” or an “n”.
**Special der words (such as Herr), which add “en” everywhere except the nominative, do not add an “s” or “es”.
Der-words, words which follow the definite article paradigm, include definite articles and demonstrative pronouns.
Demonstrative Pronouns
Demonstrative pronouns have the same function and decline the same way as definite articles. The singular masculine form is the dictionary form.
| masc. | neut. | fem. | pl. | |
| Nom. | dieser | dieses | diese | diese |
| Acc. | diesen | dieses | diese | diese |
| Dat. | diesem | diesem | dieser | diesen |
| Gen. | dieses | dieses | dieser | dieser |
Demonstrative pronouns include the following:
dieser – this
mancher – some
jeder – each, every
solcher – such
jener – that
welcher – which
Indefinite Articles
| masc. | neut. | fem. | pl. | |
| Nom. | ein | ein | eine | keine |
| Acc. | einen | ein | eine | keine |
| Dat. | einem | einem | einer | keinen -n* |
| Gen. | eines -(e)s | eines -(e)s | einer | keiner |
*Add an “n” to all nouns in the dative plural except those ending in an “s” or an “n”.
Ein-words, words which follow the indefinite article paradigm, include ein, kein, and the possessives (mein, dein, sein, ihr, unser, euer, andIhr). The following words also function as indefinite articles: indefinite numerals (andere, einige, mehrere, viele, and wenige) and alle.
Possessive Pronouns
Possessive pronouns in German have the same function and decline the same way as indefinite articles. Therefore, think of these words as the stem, or root word, onto which an ending is usually added.
| singular | plural |
| mein – my, mine | unser – our, ours |
| dein – your, yours | euer – your, yours |
| sein – his, its ihr – her, hers |
ihr – their, theirs Ihr – your, yours |
Adjectives with Definite Articles
| masc. | neut. | fem. | pl. | |
| Nom. | der gute Mann | das gute Buch | die gute Frau | die guten Leute |
| Acc. | den guten Mann | das gute Buch | die gute Frau | die guten Leute |
| Dat. | dem guten Mann | dem guten Buch | der gute Frau | den guten Leuten |
| Gen. | des guten Mannes | des guten Buches | der gute Frau | der guten Leute |
Adjectives with Indefinite Articles
| masculine | neuter | feminine | plural | |
| Nom. | ein guter Mann | ein gutes Buch | eine gute Frau | keine guten Leute |
| Acc. | einen guten Mann | ein gutes Buch | eine gute Frau | keine guten Leute |
| Dat. | einem guten Mann | einem guten Buch | einer guten Frau | keine guten Leuten |
| Gen. | eines guten Mannes | eines guten Buches | einer guten Frau | keiner guten Leute |
Adjectives with no Articles
| masculine | neuter | feminine | plural | |
| Nom. | guter Kuchen | frisches Brot | kalte Milch | frische Würste |
| Acc. | guten Kuchen | frisches Brot | kalte Milch | frische Würste |
| Dat. | gutem Kuchen | frischem Brot | kalter Milch | frischen Würsten |
| Gen. | guten Kuchens | frischen Brotes | kalter Milch | frischer Würste |
Adjective Endings