neuen

Neuen is the inflected form of the German adjective neu, meaning “new.” It appears in several grammatical contexts where adjectives are declined. In everyday usage, it commonly follows definite articles in the plural (die neuen Bücher) and also appears in other mixed or weak declension patterns, such as with indefinite articles or prepositions (einen neuen Plan, mit neuen Ideen). These forms reflect how German adjectives change endings to agree with the gender, case, and number of the nouns they modify.

Etymology and form: The adjective neu traces back to Old High German niuw and to Proto-Germanic *niwjaz, meaning “new.” The ending -en in ne-en is one of the standard inflectional patterns used for adjectives in certain cases, notably plural after a definite article and in some singular contexts with mixed declension. This pattern allows ne- to function across a range of noun phrases while preserving the core meaning of “new.”

Other uses: Beyond ordinary grammar, Neuen also appears as a surname in German-speaking areas, where it likely derives from a toponym or the root meaning “new.” In place names, the element Neuen can occur as part of longer toponyms such as Neuenkirchen or Neuenrade, indicating historical or geographic associations with “new” settlements or features. While not a standalone noun, ne- forms frequently surface in proper names and compound terms in German.