German 路 Chapter 7 路 Lesson 8 路 Grammar primer
Adjective endings
The ending depends on case, gender and whether an article already did the work, and the article table has usually answered two of the three.
The short version
If the article is silent, the adjective speaks
German shows gender and case once per noun phrase. After der or dem the article has done it, so the adjective takes a plain -e or -en. After ein in the masculine nominative, ein gives nothing away, so the adjective carries the -er itself. One question replaces three tables: has anyone shown the case yet?
der alte Mann, ein alter Mann
No ending when the adjective comes after sein
Endings only appear when the adjective stands in front of its noun. Once it moves after sein, werden or bleiben, it goes back to its bare dictionary form, whatever the gender or number. Der Mann ist alter is a mistake; der alte Mann and der Mann ist alt are both right.
Das Haus ist neu.
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