Einfachen

Einfachen is a form of the German adjective einfach, meaning simple or easy. It is not a separate lexeme; rather, it appears as an inflected ending that adapts to number, gender, and case, and to the presence or absence of a determiner.

Grammatical use

- Adjectival form in attributive position before a noun requires declension. The ending of einfache varies: it becomes -en in several cases and numbers.

- The specific ending depends on case, gender, number, and whether a determiner is present (der/die/das, ein, kein, etc.).

Examples by case and gender (illustrative)

- Masculine singular

- Nominative: ein einfacher Weg

- Accusative: einen einfachen Weg

- Dative: einem einfachen Weg

- Genitive: eines einfachen Weges

- Feminine singular

- Nominative/Accusative: eine einfache Aufgabe

- Dative: einer einfachen Aufgabe

- Genitive: einer einfachen Aufgabe

- Neuter singular

- Nominative/Accusative: ein einfaches Problem

- Dative: einem einfachen Problem

- Genitive: eines einfachen Problems

- Plural

- Nominative/Accusative (with no definite article): einfache Wege

- With definite article: die einfachen Wege

- Dative: mit einfachen Wegen

- Genitive: der einfachen Wege

Usage notes

- In common phrases, einfache is used for straightforwardness, affordability, or lack of complexity, as in einfache Lösung, einfache Schritte, or einfache Bedingungen.

- The form simplifies to andere endings in different grammatical environments, but the semantic core remains “simple” or “not complicated.”

See also

- German declension of adjectives

- Simple vs. easy in German usage