Adjective endings without article
A2 · Elementary · Cases & Verbs
The rule
Adjective takes the article's ending.
How it works
When no article precedes the adjective, the adjective takes the ending that the article would have had, which makes the case and gender clear: frischer Kaffee (nominative masculine), mit frischem Kaffee (dative masculine), frische Milch (nominative feminine). This is called the strong declension, and it appears in phrases such as guter Wein and kaltes Wasser.
When to use it
Add the ending the article would have had when no article is used, for example "guter Kaffee" or "frische Milch".
Use cases
- Describing food and drink: Ich möchte kalten Tee
- Describing plural nouns without articles: Gute Freunde sind wichtig
- Using adjectives after a quantity: Viel frisches Obst
Examples
- kalter Kaffee, frische Milch – cold coffee, fresh milk
- Mit gutem Willen schafft man alles. – With good will you can achieve anything.
- Kaltes Wasser ist erfrischend. – Cold water is refreshing.
- Frische Brötchen gibt es am Morgen. – Fresh rolls are available in the morning.
Common mistake
Using no ending: "mit gut Kaffee" should be "mit gutem Kaffee".
Memory tip
Without an article, the adjective takes the article ending: strong endings mirror der, die, das.
Read the wider picture in our guide: German Cases Explained: Nominative, Accusative, Dative and Genitive.