weakdeclension

Weak declension is a term used in German grammar to describe two related inflectional patterns that are often taught together: the weak declension of certain masculine nouns and the weak declension of adjectives after definite determiners.

Noun weak declension. A small class of masculine nouns forms its oblique cases with an additional -n or -en ending in all cases except the nominative singular. A typical example is der Junge (boy). Its forms are: nominative singular der Junge, genitive des Jungen, dative dem Jungen, accusative den Jungen. In the plural, the noun already bears -n in many forms, as in die Jungen (nom/acc plural) and der Jungen (genitive plural). The pattern helps create regular endings across cases, contrasting with strong declension nouns that show more varied endings.

Adjective weak declension. After definite articles or other definite determiners (der, die, das, dieser, jener, etc.), German adjectives take weaker endings. This means the adjective endings are predictable and depend on gender, number, and case rather than on the noun itself. Examples: der gute Mann (nom), des guten Mannes (gen), dem guten Mann (dat), den guten Mann (acc); in plural: die guten Männer, der guten Männer, den guten Männern, die guten Männer. The weak endings for adjectives are typically -e or -en in singular and -en in many plural forms.

Relation to other declensions. Weak declension contrasts with strong declension, where adjectives and some nouns reveal more varied endings depending on the noun’s own stem rather than a definite determiner. German also uses mixed declension, which combines elements of both patterns.

Overview. Weak declension captures a regular, determiner-driven inflection pattern in German nouns and adjectives, contributing to predictable and stable forms across cases.