Nouns and Adjectives That Keep Their N

Level 4

The n-rule drops n in articles, pronouns and verbs. But most nouns and adjectives keep their n before any consonant: Frënn gesinn, eng ronn Saach, eng modern Wunneng.

How It Works

1. The n stays
Nouns and adjectives that end in n or nn keep it, whatever consonant follows:

  • blann sinn (to be blind), eng ronn Saach (a round thing), eng dënn Biischt (a thin brush)
  • d'Hänn wäschen (to wash your hands), Frënn gesinn (to see friends), um Enn vun der Geschicht
  • de Loun kréien (to get your pay), eng Reunioun preparéieren (to prepare a meeting)
  • eng modern Geschicht, eng spontan Ried, d'Léierin weist eppes

2. Words in -en follow the rule
Nouns and adjectives ending in -en drop the n before most consonants, like other -en words: e Meedche gesinn (to see a girl), muer de Moie kommen (to come tomorrow morning). This includes adjective endings: e grousse Mann.

3. Optional: -äin and -een
With nouns in -äin you may drop the n or keep it: de Wäi gëtt gedronk or de Wäin gëtt gedronk. The same is true for one-syllable nouns in -een: e Stee geheien or e Steen geheien. A few, like Ween and Zeen, always keep it.

4. Exceptions: fein and schéin
These two adjectives always lose their n before a consonant: dat si fei Leit, eng schéi Geschicht.

5. Names
Names of people and brands also keep their n (see n-rule with names and places): De Ruben muss goen.

Examples (6)

  1. Mir hu gëschter Frënn gesinn.

    We saw friends yesterday.

    The verb hunn drops its n, but the noun Frënn keeps it before g.

  2. Du muss d'Hänn wäschen.

    You have to wash your hands.

    Hänn keeps its n before w.

  3. Um Enn vun der Geschicht si se glécklech.

    At the end of the story they are happy.

    Enn keeps its n before v. Before se, the verb sinn may drop its n, as here, or keep it.

  4. Ech hunn eng modern Wunneng.

    I have a modern flat.

    The adjective modern keeps its n before W.

  5. Dat ass eng schéi Geschicht.

    That is a lovely story.

    schéin is an exception and drops its n.

  6. Ech hunn e Meedche gesinn.

    I saw a girl.

    Meedchen ends in -en, so it follows the n-rule.

Common Mistakes

  • Dropping the n of a noun that keeps it.

    Mir mussen eng Reuniou preparéieren.
    Mir mussen eng Reunioun preparéieren.

    Nouns like Reunioun do not end in -en, so they keep their n before any consonant.

  • Keeping the n of schéin.

    Dat ass eng schéin Geschicht.
    Dat ass eng schéi Geschicht.

    schéin and fein are exceptions: they always lose their n before a consonant.

  • Keeping the n of a noun in -en.

    Ech hunn e Meedchen gesinn.
    Ech hunn e Meedche gesinn.

    Nouns ending in -en follow the normal n-rule and drop the n before g.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Nouns and Adjectives That Keep Their NLevel 4

Learn This First

Before Nouns and Adjectives That Keep Their N, learn The N-Rule With Verbs and Pronouns and Adjective Endings: Masculine -en.

Words in This Pattern

fein