German Weak and Strong Adjective Declension

Adjective declension in German is divided into weak, strong, and mixed types, depending on the article that stands before the adjective. The basic rule is that the gender, case, and number of the noun must be clearly shown somewhere in the noun phrase. Weak declension occurs when the noun is preceded by a definite article ('der', 'die', 'das'). Since the definite article already clearly shows the gender and case, the adjective only needs a simple ending: either '-e' or '-en'. For example, in the nominative, we say 'der gute Mann' (the good man).

Strong declension occurs when there is no article before the adjective (or after numbers/words like 'viele'). Because there is no article to indicate the case and gender, the adjective must take the strong ending itself, which corresponds to the ending of the definite article (except for masculine and neuter genitive singular, where it takes '-en'). For example, 'kalter Kaffee' (cold coffee, masculine nominative). Mixed declension happens after indefinite articles ('ein') or possessive articles ('mein'), combining features of both types. Mastering these patterns is essential for correct sentence structure.