1) Feminine Singular nouns
remain unchanged in all Singular cases.
| Singular: |
Typewriter |
Street |
| Nom. |
die Schreibmaschine |
die Straße |
| Acc. |
die Schreibmaschine |
die Straße |
| Dat. |
der Schreibmaschine |
der Straße |
| Gen. |
der Schreibmaschine |
der Straße |
2) All Neuter and most Masculine
Singular add -s or -es (if one syllable) to Genitive
Singular.
| Singular: |
Shoe |
Shirt |
| Nom. |
der Schuh |
das Hemd |
| Acc. |
den Schuh |
das Hemd |
| Dat. |
dem Schuh |
dem Hemd |
| Gen. |
des Schuhes |
des Hemdes |
3) Masculine nouns that end in -e
in Nom. Sing. and designate living things add -n
to form both Singular and Plural for all cases.
Lion(s)
|
Singular |
Plural |
| Nom. |
der Löwe |
die Löwen |
| Acc. |
den Löwen |
die Löwen |
| Dat. |
dem Löwen |
den Löwen |
| Gen. |
des Löwen |
der Löwen |
4) All Dative Plural either adds
-n or -en.
|
Man |
Woman |
Child |
| Nom. Sing. |
der Mann |
die Frau |
das Kind |
| Dat. Pl. |
den Männern |
den Frauen |
den Kindern |
5) In Plurals of all declensions
of all genders, the Nominative, Genitive, and Accusative
Plural are the same.
|
Forest |
Pear |
| Nom. Sing. |
der Wald |
die Birne |
| Nom. Pl. |
die Wälder |
die Birnen |
| Acc. Pl. |
die Wälder |
die Birnen |
| Dat. Pl. |
den Wäldern |
den Birnen |
| Gen. Pl. |
der Wälder |
der Birnen |
Note: To form the Dative
Plural, add -n or -en to the Nominative
Plural, unless it already ends in -s or -n, then
add nothing.
Most singular declensions can be formed
from the first three rules above, but plural nouns
are more complex and irregular. Some may add
-n, -en, -r, -er, -e, or an umlaut over the stem
vowel with a final -e, and some nouns do not change
from singular to plural.
Group 1
-Singular follows rules
-Plural adds umlaut to stem vowel and -n to all
datives
Father(s) (masc.)
|
Sing. |
Plural |
| Nom. |
der Vater |
die Väter |
| Acc. |
den Vater |
die Väter |
| Dat. |
dem Vater |
den Vätern |
| Gen. |
des Vaters |
der Väter |
Nouns belonging to this group: Most nouns whose Nom.
Sing. end in -el, -en, -er; and neuter nouns that
begin with Ge- and end with -e
Group 2
-Singular follows rules
-Plural sometimes adds umlaut to stem vowel
and -e to Nominative, Genitive, and Accusative;
-en to Dative
Fruit (fem.)
|
Sing. |
Plural |
| Nom. |
die Frucht |
die Früchte |
| Acc. |
die Frucht |
die Früchte |
| Dat. |
der Frucht |
den Früchten |
| Gen. |
der Frucht |
der Früchte |
Nouns belonging to this group:
Masculine that are one syllable; half
of feminine and neuter that are one syllable
Group 3
-Singular follow rules
-Plural adds umlaut to stem vowel and -er to Nominative,
Genitive, and Accusative; -ern to Dative
Man/men (masc.)
|
Sing. |
Plural |
| Nom. |
der Mann |
die Männer |
| Acc. |
den Mann |
die Männer |
| Dat. |
dem Mann |
den Männern |
| Gen. |
des Mannes |
der Männer |
Nouns belonging to this group:
Many neuter that are one syllable; no feminine
nouns
Group 4
-Singular adds -en to all Masculine Dative, Accusative,
and Genitive; Feminine follows rule
-Plural adds -n or -en to all forms
|
Student (s) |
|
Woman/Women |
|
Sing. |
Plural |
|
Sing. |
Plural |
| Nom. |
der Student |
die Studenten |
|
die Frau |
die Frauen |
| Acc. |
den Studenten |
die Studenten |
|
die Frau |
die Frauen |
| Dat. |
dem Studenten |
den Studenten |
|
der Frau |
den Frauen |
| Gen. |
des Studenten |
der Studenten |
|
der Frau |
der Frauen |
Nouns belonging to this group: Most feminine that are
more than one syllable, most masculine that denote
living things; no neuter nouns
Group 5
-Add -s to Genitive Singular
-Add -s to all plural forms
Auto(s) (neu.)
|
Sing. |
Plural |
| Nom. |
das Auto |
die Autos |
| Acc. |
das Auto |
die Autos |
| Dat. |
dem Auto |
den Autos |
| Gen. |
des Autos |
der Autos |
Nouns belonging to this group:
Foreign origin words, such as das Radio,
das Restaurant, and das Hotel.
Group 6 - Irregular
-Add -ns or -ens to Genitive Singular
-Add -en to Dative Singular, may add -en to Accusative
Singular
-All plural add -en
|
Heart(s) |
|
Name(s) |
|
Sing. |
Plural |
|
Sing. |
Plural |
| Nom. |
das Herz |
die Herzen |
|
der Name |
die Namen |
| Acc. |
das Herz |
die Herzen |
|
den Namen |
die Namen |
| Dat. |
dem Herzen |
den Herzen |
|
dem Namen |
den Namen |
| Gen. |
des Herzens |
der Herzen |
|
des Namens |
der Namen |
Group 7 - Mixed
-Add -s or -es for Genitive Singular
-Add -n or -en for all plural
Bed(s) (neu.)
|
Sing. |
Plural |
| Nom. |
das Bett |
die Betten |
| Acc. |
das Bett |
die Betten |
| Dat. |
dem Bett |
den Betten |
| Gen. |
des Bettes |
der Betten |
