Adjective Endings in the Dative

Level 3

In the dative there are only two adjective endings: -en for masculine, neuter and plural, and -er for feminine. mat engem neien Auto, an enger grousser Stad.

How It Works

1. Two endings

  • Masculine: mat engem neien Auto, mam neien Auto
  • Neuter: mat engem klenge Kand, am kale Waasser
  • Plural: mat gudde Frënn, mat den neie Schong
  • Feminine: an enger grousser Stad, wärend der ganzer Rees

2. Compare with the nominative and accusative
In the nominative and accusative, the feminine and plural adjective has no ending and the neuter takes -t. In the dative, those change:

  • eng grouss Stad → an enger grousser Stad
  • e klengt Kand → mat engem klenge Kand
  • gutt Frënn → mat gudde Frënn

See Adjective Endings: Feminine and Plural and Adjective Endings: Neuter -t.

3. The n-rule on the ending
The -en ending keeps its n before a vowel and before d, t, z, n and h, and drops it before other consonants: mat engem neien Auto, mat engem neie Vëlo. See The N-Rule.

4. Every kind of article
The endings are the same after dem and der, after engem and enger, after possessives like mengem and menger (Possessives in the Dative), and with no article at all: mat gudder Absicht, mat klenge Kanner.

5. Spelling changes
Some adjectives change their spelling when an ending is added: gutt → gudden, gudder. See Adjective Stem Changes.

Examples (6)

  1. Hien ass mat engem neien Auto komm.

    He came in a new car.

    Masculine dative: -en. The n stays before the vowel of Auto.

  2. Si wunnen an enger grousser Stad.

    They live in a big city.

    Feminine dative: -er.

  3. D'Joffer schwätzt mat engem klenge Kand.

    The teacher is talking with a little child.

    Neuter dative: klengen loses its n before K. The -t of e klengt Kand disappears.

  4. Mir hunn de Weekend mat gudde Frënn verbruecht.

    We spent the weekend with good friends.

    Plural dative: gudden loses its n before F. Gutt becomes gudd- when an ending is added.

  5. Ech si mam neien Auto op d'Aarbecht gefuer.

    I drove to work in the new car.

    Mam is mat + dem. The ending is the same as with engem.

  6. De Monni huet wärend der ganzer Rees geschlof.

    My uncle slept during the whole trip.

    Feminine dative after der: ganzer.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving the feminine adjective without an ending.

    Si wunnen an enger grouss Stad.
    Si wunnen an enger grousser Stad.

    Feminine adjectives have no ending in the nominative and accusative, but they take -er in the dative.

  • Keeping the neuter -t in the dative.

    D'Joffer schwätzt mat engem klengt Kand.
    D'Joffer schwätzt mat engem klenge Kand.

    The -t ending is only for the neuter nominative and accusative. In the dative, neuter adjectives take -en, here -e by the n-rule.

  • Ignoring the n-rule on the ending.

    Mir hunn de Weekend mat gudden Frënn verbruecht.
    Mir hunn de Weekend mat gudde Frënn verbruecht.

    The -en ending drops its n before F, as the n-rule requires.

How It Connects

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Adjective Endings in the DativeLevel 3

Learn This First

Before Adjective Endings in the Dative, learn Adjective Endings: Feminine and Plural, Adjective Endings: Neuter -t and Possessives in the Dative.

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Patterns that build on this one.