Question 1

What is the difference between strong, weak, and mixed adjective declensions?

Accepted Answer

Strong declension is used when there is no article before the adjective (e.g., 'großer Hund'). Weak declension is used after a definite article (der, die, das) – the adjective ending is usually '-e' or '-en' (e.g., 'der große Hund'). Mixed declension is used after an indefinite article (ein, eine) or possessive article (mein, dein) – the adjective takes some strong endings and some weak endings (e.g., 'ein großer Hund'). The key is to learn the pattern for each.

Question 2

Do adjectives change after 'sein'?

Accepted Answer

No, adjectives after 'sein' (to be), 'werden' (to become), and 'bleiben' (to stay) are predicative and do not change their form. For example, 'Der Hund ist groß' – 'groß' stays the same regardless of the noun's gender or number. This is a common mistake students make.

Question 3

How do I form the comparative and superlative of adjectives?

Accepted Answer

The comparative is formed by adding '-er' to the adjective (e.g., 'schnell' → 'schneller'). The superlative is formed with 'am ... -sten' (e.g., 'am schnellsten') for predicative use, or with 'der/die/das ... -ste' for attributive use (e.g., 'der schnellste Hund'). Some adjectives have irregular forms, like 'gut – besser – am besten' and 'viel – mehr – am meisten'.

Question 4

What are the adjective endings for the nominative case?

Accepted Answer

In the nominative, with a definite article: all genders take '-e' (der große Mann, die große Frau, das große Kind, die großen Hunde). With an indefinite article: masculine takes '-er' (ein großer Mann), feminine takes '-e' (eine große Frau), neuter takes '-es' (ein großes Kind). With no article: masculine '-er', feminine '-e', neuter '-es', plural '-e'.

Question 5

How do I know which case to use after a preposition with an adjective?

Accepted Answer

Some adjectives are followed by a specific case, often the dative or accusative. For example, 'interessiert an' takes the dative (Ich bin an dem Projekt interessiert). 'Stolz auf' takes the accusative (Ich bin stolz auf meinen Bruder). You need to learn these adjective-preposition combinations as vocabulary items.

Question 6

Can you give an example of a genitive adjective ending?

Accepted Answer

In the genitive case, with a definite article, the adjective ending is '-en' for masculine and neuter singular (e.g., 'des großen Hauses'), and '-er' for feminine singular (e.g., 'der großen Frau'). In the plural, it is '-en' for all genders (e.g., 'der großen Häuser'). This is important for Higher Tier tasks.

Grammar (Higher): Adjectives

Topic Overview

Key Concepts

What You Need to Demonstrate

Marking Points

Examiner Tips

Common Mistakes

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How to Revise Grammar (Higher): Adjectives — AQA GCSE German

Examiner Tips for Grammar (Higher): Adjectives

Common Mistakes in Grammar (Higher): Adjectives

Key Marking Points