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German grammar lessons › Level A2 › The four German cases

Masculine weak nouns: der Student, den Studenten

Some masculine nouns add -n or -en in every case except the nominative singular.

Part of the free A2 German course. Press the speaker next to an example to hear it.

A small group of masculine nouns changes its ending in the accusative, dative and genitive. They add -n or -en everywhere except in the nominative singular. This is called the n-declension, and these nouns are often called "weak nouns".

Caseder Studentder Jungeder Herrder Name
nominativeder Studentder Jungeder Herrder Name
accusativeden Studentenden Jungenden Herrnden Namen
dativedem Studentendem Jungendem Herrndem Namen
genitivedes Studentendes Jungendes Herrndes Namens
pluraldie Studentendie Jungendie Herrendie Namen

Which nouns?

They are all masculine, and most of them are people or animals. Look out for these groups:

  • ending in -e: der Junge, der Kollege, der Kunde, der Neffe, der Löwe, der Affe
  • ending in -ent, -ant, -ist: der Student, der Präsident, der Praktikant, der Elefant, der Tourist, der Polizist, der Journalist
  • a few others: der Mensch, der Herr, der Nachbar, der Bär
  • Kennst du den neuen Kollegen?Do you know the new colleague?
  • Ich habe dem Kunden eine E-Mail geschrieben.I wrote the customer an email.
  • Der Polizist hilft dem Touristen.The police officer is helping the tourist.
  • Wir haben einen Elefanten im Zoo gesehen.We saw an elephant at the zoo.
  • Unser Nachbar hat einen Jungen und ein Mädchen.Our neighbour has a boy and a girl.
  • Das Zimmer des Studenten ist sehr klein.The student's room is very small.

Herr in letters and conversation

Herr adds only -n in the singular and -en in the plural: Ich spreche mit Herrn Schmidt. Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren.

  • Ich spreche mit Herrn Schmidt.I'm speaking to Mr Schmidt.

der Name: an -s in the genitive

A few abstract nouns, above all der Name, add -n and also an -s in the genitive: des Namens. Der Gedanke and der Buchstabe work the same way.

  • Ich habe den Namen vergessen.I've forgotten the name.

The feminine forms are completely regular: die Studentin, die Kollegin, die Kundin. Only the masculine noun changes.

For the genitive in general, see The genitive: des Mannes, der Frau, Annas Auto.

Common mistakes

  • Ich frage den Student. Weak nouns need the ending: den Studenten.
  • des Studentens: weak nouns take no extra -s in the genitive (except Namens and its group).
  • Ich schreibe an Herr Weber. Outside the nominative it is Herrn: an Herrn Weber.
  • Der Studenten wohnt hier. The nominative singular has no ending: Der Student wohnt hier.
  • Adding -n to every masculine noun: der Lehrer and der Arzt are normal (den Lehrer, dem Arzt).

Practice

  1. Ich habe gestern einen _____ getroffen.
    I met a journalist yesterday.
    Options: Journalisten · Journalist · Journalists · Journalistes
    Show the answer

    Journalisten — -ist noun, accusative: -en.

  2. Kannst du bitte dem _____ (Kunde) helfen?
    Can you help the customer, please?
    Show the answer

    Kunden

  3. Das ist ein Brief für _____ Weber.
    That's a letter for Mr Weber.
    Options: Herrn · Herr · Herren · Herrns
    Show the answer

    Herrn — für + accusative: Herrn.

  4. Ich kenne den _____ (Mensch) auf dem Foto nicht.
    I don't know the person in the photo.
    Show the answer

    Menschen

In the app, this lesson is taught one idea at a time with the examples read aloud, followed by questions that explain the rule when you get one wrong. It then comes back for review on later days, until you've answered it correctly on three separate days.
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