German · A2 · Everyday language
Spot The Details in German
Describe hobby equipment and notice adjective endings after definite articles. Practise talking about where things are and asking your child to bring, use or clean them.
What you'll learn
- Describe hobby equipment using adjectives such as small, blue, new and old.
- Use adjective endings after der, die and das in the nominative and accusative.
- Notice that masculine der kleine becomes den kleinen when it describes a direct object.
German phrases for spot the details
Der kleine Ball ist im Garten.
The small ball is in the garden.
Der kleine Ball is the subject. After masculine nominative der, the adjective ends in -e.
Bring bitte den kleinen Ball.
Please bring the small ball.
Den kleinen Ball is the direct object. In the masculine accusative, use den and the adjective ending -en.
Die blaue Tasche ist bereit.
The blue bag is ready.
Die blaue Tasche is the subject. After feminine nominative die, the adjective ends in -e.
Brauchst du die blaue Tasche?
Do you need the blue bag?
Die blaue Tasche is the direct object. The feminine accusative has the same form as the nominative.
Das neue Notizbuch liegt auf deinem Schreibtisch.
The new notebook is on your desk.
Das neue Notizbuch is the subject. After neuter nominative das, the adjective ends in -e. Liegt is natural for an object lying on a desk.
Du kannst das neue Notizbuch benutzen.
You can use the new notebook.
Das neue Notizbuch is the direct object. The neuter accusative has the same form as the nominative.
Die alten Schuhe sind immer noch bequem.
The old shoes are still comfortable.
Die alten Schuhe is the plural subject. After plural die, the adjective ends in -en.
Putz bitte die alten Schuhe.
Please clean the old shoes.
Die alten Schuhe is the plural direct object. Keep die and the adjective ending -en.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
der Ball
the ball
Masculine; plural: die Bälle.
die Tasche
the bag
Feminine; plural: die Taschen.
das Notizbuch
the notebook
Neuter; plural: die Notizbücher. A book for writing notes.
der Schuh
the shoe
Masculine; plural: die Schuhe.
klein, blau, neu, alt
small, blue, new, old
These are the base forms. Add an ending when they come before a noun.
bequem
comfortable
Used without an adjective ending after sein: Die Schuhe sind bequem.
putzen
to clean
Useful for cleaning shoes. Putz bitte … is a friendly request to one child.
Nominative: describing the subject
The nominative marks the subject: the person or thing the sentence is about. An adjective before a noun takes -e after singular der, die or das, but -en after plural die.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | der + adjective ending -e + noun | Der kleine Ball ist im Garten. |
| Feminine | die + adjective ending -e + noun | Die blaue Tasche ist bereit. |
| Neuter | das + adjective ending -e + noun | Das neue Notizbuch liegt auf deinem Schreibtisch. |
| Plural | die + adjective ending -en + noun | Die alten Schuhe sind immer noch bequem. |
Accusative: describing the direct object
The accusative marks the direct object: here, the thing someone brings, needs, uses or cleans. Only the masculine pattern changes from the nominative: der kleine becomes den kleinen. Feminine, neuter and plural forms stay the same.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | den + adjective ending -en + noun | Bring bitte den kleinen Ball. |
| Feminine | die + adjective ending -e + noun | Brauchst du die blaue Tasche? |
| Neuter | das + adjective ending -e + noun | Du kannst das neue Notizbuch benutzen. |
| Plural | die + adjective ending -en + noun | Putz bitte die alten Schuhe. |
More examples
Der kleine Ball ist blau. Brauchst du den kleinen Ball?
The small ball is blue. Do you need the small ball?
Compare the subject der kleine Ball with the direct object den kleinen Ball. Blau follows ist, so it has no adjective ending.
Die alten Schuhe sind im Garten. Bring bitte die alten Schuhe.
The old shoes are in the garden. Please bring the old shoes.
The plural phrase die alten Schuhe stays the same as a subject and as a direct object.