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 Grammar Nouns Declension N-Declension

Nouns - Declension: N-Declension

Forms

The n-declension concerns the weak nouns. Only masculine nouns belong to this group. The genitive, dative and accusative forms in the singular and the plural forms of these nouns get an additional -n at the end.

Here is one example:

Singular Forms Noun with Definite Article Phonetic Script English Translation
Nominative der Junge m [de:ɐ 'jʊŋə] the boy
Genitive des Jungen m [dɛs 'jʊŋən] of the boy
Dative dem Jungen m [de:m 'jʊŋən] (to) the boy
Accusative den Jungen m [de:n 'jʊŋən] the boy
       
Plural Forms Noun with Definite Article Phonetic Script English Translation
Nominative die Jungen m pl [di: 'jʊŋən] the boys
Genitive der Jungen m pl [de:ɐ 'jʊŋən] of the boys
Dative den Jungen m pl [de:n 'jʊŋən] (to) the boys
Accusative die Jungen m pl [di: 'jʊŋən] the boys
       
Singular Forms Noun with Indefinite Article Phonetic Script English Translation
Nominative ein Junge m [ain 'jʊŋə] a boy
Genitive eines Jungen m ['ainəs 'jʊŋən] of a boy
Dative einem Jungen m ['ainəm 'jʊŋən] (to) a boy
Accusative einen Jungen m ['ainən 'jʊŋən] a boy
       
Plural Forms Noun with Indefinite Article Phonetic Script English Translation
Nominative Jungen m pl ['jʊŋən] boys
Genitive of boys
Dative (to) boys
Accusative boys

If you look closely at the forms, you see that only the definite and indefinite articles make you regognize the case and if it is singular or plural.

 

How you regognize the nouns of the n-declension

The group of these nouns is very small. Weak nouns are always masculine.

 

Example nouns   Phonetic Script English
     
Determination by meanings (+n)    
     
If the nouns end in -e, they belong to one of the following groups and end in -n
     
  • nationalities
    

der Deutsche m

 [de:ɐ 'dɔytʃə] the German
der Franzose m
 [de:ɐ fran'tso:zə] the Frenchman
     
  • persons
    

Junge m

 ['jʊŋə] boy

Kunde m

 ['kʊndə] customer
     
  • animals
    
Löwe m
 ['lø:və] lion

Hase m

 ['ha:zə] hare
     
     
Determination by endings (+-n or + -en)    
     
If the nouns have the following endings, they mostly describe persons or professions and end in -en:
     
  • foreign nouns ending in -ad
    

Kamerad m (+-en)

 [kamə'ra:t] comrade
     
  • foreign nouns ending in -and
    

Doktorand m (+-en)

 [dɔkto'rant] doctoral candidate
     
  • foreign nouns ending in -ant
    

Fabrikant m (+-en)

 [fabri'kant] factory owner

Praktikant m (+-en)

 [prakti'kant] trainee (having a practical training)
     
  • foreign nouns ending in -at
    

Bürokrat m (+-en)

 [byro'kra:t] bureaucrat

Kandidat m (+-en)

 [kandi'da:t] candidate
     
  • foreign nouns ending in -ent
    
Student m (+-en)
 [ʃtu'dɛnt] student (at university)
Dozent m (+-en)
 [do'tsɛnt] lecturer (at university)
     
  • foreign nouns ending in -ist
    

Kommunist m (+-en)

 [kɔmu'nɪst] communist
Tourist m (+-en)
 [tu'rɪst] tourist
     
  • foreign nouns ending in -oge
    

Biologe m (+-n)

 [bio'lo:gə] biologist
Psychologe m (+-n)
 [psyço'lo:gə] psychologist
     
     
Exceptions (+-n or + -en)    
     
The exceptions (mostly persons or professions) include nouns which can have another gender or another ending in the
singular:    
     
  • persons
    

Herr m (singular: +-n, plural: +-en)

 [hɛr] Mr, Sir

Mensch m (+-en)

 [mɛnʃ] human being
     
     
  • professions
    

Architekt m (+-en)

 [arçiˈtɛkt] architect
Bauer m (+-n)
 [ˈbauɐ] farmer
     
  • others
    

Herz nt

(genitive: -ens, dative: -en)

 [hɛrts] heart
  (accusative: no ending)