German grammar › A2
n-declension — nouns that add -n
Level A2 · der Student → den / dem Studenten · Herr → Herrn · der Name
What is the n-declension?
Most nouns keep their form in every case. A small group of masculine nouns adds -n or -en in every case except the subject: der Student → den Studenten.
Which nouns
- Male people ending in -e: der Junge, der Kollege, der Kunde.
- Nouns ending in -ent, -ant, -ist: der Student, der Polizist.
- Also der Herr, der Mensch, der Nachbar.
Pattern
der Student · den / dem / des Studenten
Examples
- Ich helfe dem **Kunden**. — I help the customer.
- Ich kenne **Herrn** Weber. — I know Mr Weber.
Remember: Only one form without -n: der Student (the subject, singular).
Builds on: The four cases.
What is the n-declension?
Most nouns keep their form — only the article changes. A small group of masculine nouns also adds -n.
- A normal noun: Ich helfe dem Mann. — I help the man.
- An n-noun: Ich helfe dem Studenten. — I help the student.
The rule is short: -n everywhere except der.
The rule
Add -(e)n in every case except the Nominativ singular.
| der Student | der Kollege | |
|---|---|---|
| Nominativ | der Student | der Kollege |
| Akkusativ | den Studenten | den Kollegen |
| Dativ | dem Studenten | dem Kollegen |
| Genitiv | des Studenten | des Kollegen |
| Plural | die Studenten | die Kollegen |
- Only one form without -n — der Student — the subject, singular.
Which nouns are in this group? You can see it in the ending.
Which nouns?
Almost all of them are male people or animals.
Male, ending in -e
- der Junge — boy
- der Kollege — colleague
- der Kunde — customer
- der Franzose — Frenchman
- der Löwe — lion
- der Zeuge — witness
Ending in -ent, -ant, -ist, -at
- der Student — student
- der Präsident — president
- der Praktikant — intern
- der Polizist — police officer
- der Journalist — journalist
- der Soldat — soldier
A few more to learn
- der Mensch — person, human
- der Nachbar — neighbour
- der Herr — Mr, gentleman
Herr is the one you will use every day.
Herr → Herrn
Herr adds -n, too. You see it in letters, emails and on the phone.
- Nominativ: Herr Weber ist nicht da. — Mr Weber isn’t here.
- Akkusativ: Ich kenne Herrn Weber. — I know Mr Weber.
- Dativ: Ich spreche mit Herrn Weber. — I’m talking to Mr Weber.
One Herr → Herrn. Many → die Herren: Meine Damen und Herren!
A few abstract nouns follow the same rule, with one extra -s.
der Name, der Gedanke
These add -n too — and -ns in the Genitiv.
- Akkusativ: Ich weiß seinen Namen nicht. — I don’t know his name.
- Genitiv: die Bedeutung des Namens — the meaning of the name
- der Gedanke, der Glaube — thought, belief · and das Herz: dem Herzen, des Herzens
Last step: spot the n-nouns in a sentence.
Put it together
Masculine, male, ends in -e or -ent / -ist? Then add -n — unless it is the subject.
One sentence
Der Kunde fragt den Kollegen nach dem Präsidenten. — The customer asks the colleague about the president.
- Der Kunde: Nominativ (the subject) → no -n
- den Kollegen: Akkusativ → Kollege + n
- dem Präsidenten: fragen nach + Dativ → Präsident + en
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