kleinen

Kleinen is a form of the German adjective klein, meaning small or little. It is most commonly encountered as an inflected form used before nouns in various plural or feminine singular contexts, depending on the article or determiner that accompanies the noun. In plural, Kleinen appears in the weak inflection after definite determiners: die kleinen Häuser (nominative or accusative plural) or den kleinen Häusern (dative plural). In genitive plural, the form is der kleinen Häuser.

In other grammatical contexts, the form Kleinen can appear as part of the strong or mixed inflection before plural nouns without a definite article, for example: kleine Häuser (nominative or accusative plural without a determiner). The exact ending of an attributive adjective in German depends on case, number, and the presence of a determiner; Kleinen is one of the common endings used in several plural or feminine singular environments.

Aside from its grammatical role, Kleinen is also used as a proper noun. As a surname, Kleinen can occur in German-speaking regions. It can also appear in toponyms or place names that include the element Klein, often reflecting historical or geographical features rather than a meaning tied to the adjective alone.

Etymology and usage summary: Kleinen derives from the adjective klein. Its usage is limited to attributive positions before nouns or as part of proper nouns, and it follows standard German adjective inflection patterns under declension rules.