ernstes

Ernstes is the neuter singular inflected form of the German adjective ernst, meaning serious. In German grammar, adjectives change their endings to reflect gender, number, case, and the presence or absence of a definite article. The form ernstes appears before neuter singular nouns in nominative or accusative case when there is no definite article or when the article is indefinite (strong declension).

With a definite article, the neuter singular adjective takes the ending ernste, as in das ernste Thema. In the indefinite or zero-article case, you typically see ernstes, as in ein ernstes Thema. This pattern applies specifically to neuter nouns; masculine and feminine forms use different endings (for example, der ernste Mann, die ernste Frage, ein ernstes Thema).

Usage examples include:

- Ein ernstes Thema erfordert Aufmerksamkeit.

- Das ernste Thema bleibt offen.

Notes:

- Ernstes is not a separate lexeme or a standalone noun; it is a grammatical inflection of the adjective ernst.

- Adjective endings in German can vary by article type and by whether an adjective is attributive or predicative; ernstes is specifically an attributive, neuter singular form used before a noun.

Etymology and related forms:

- The adjective ernst is a basic German adjective meaning serious, with comparable forms across the Germanic languages.

- Related inflections include ernste (neuter/feminine with definite article, and masculine forms in other cases) and ernstes (as described here for neuter singular without definite article).