German N-Declension
German n-declension applies only to masculine nouns that add -n or -en in all cases except nominative singular. Common groups include nouns ending in -e (der Junge → den Jungen), those with -ent/-ant/-ist/-at (der Student → den Studenten), many nationalities (der Franzose → den Franzosen), and several animals (der Löwe → den Löwen).
The n-declension is a special pattern affecting certain masculine nouns in German. Unlike most nouns that change only in the genitive, n-declension nouns add -n or -en in the accusative, dative, and genitive cases while keeping their base form only in the nominative singular. This means der Student becomes den Studenten, dem Studenten, and des Studenten.
Several predictable groups follow this pattern. Masculine nouns ending in -e almost always belong here: der Junge, der Kunde, der Kollege, der Neffe. Many nationality nouns are n-declension: der Franzose, der Russe, der Türke. Masculine nouns with foreign suffixes -ent, -ant, -ist, and -at also decline this way: der Präsident, der Praktikant, der Journalist, der Soldat. Common animal names like der Löwe, der Hase, der Affe, der Elefant, and der Bär follow the same rule.
A few n-declension nouns add an extra -s in the genitive only: der Name becomes des Namens, der Gedanke becomes des Gedankens, and der Buchstabe becomes des Buchstabens. The word das Herz is unique—it is neuter but follows n-declension in oblique cases, becoming des Herzens. The noun der Herr has its own quirk: it takes -n in singular oblique cases but -en in the plural.
In the plural, n-declension nouns look like regular plurals because the -n or -en ending appears in all cases: die Studenten, die Jungen, die Kollegen. The declension pattern is visible only in the singular, where you must remember to add the ending whenever the noun is not the subject of the sentence.
- N-declension affects masculine nouns in all cases except nominative singular
- Die n-Deklination betrifft nur maskuline Nomen. Sie bekommen in allen Fällen außer dem Nominativ Singular die Endung -n oder -en: der Student → den Studenten, dem Studenten, des Studenten.
- Masculine nouns ending in -e and many nationalities
- Dazu gehören maskuline Nomen auf -e: der Junge, der Kunde, der Kollege, der Neffe — und viele Nationalitäten: der Franzose, der Russe, der Türke.
- Masculine nouns with suffixes -ent, -ant, -ist, -at
- Auch maskuline Nomen mit den Endungen -ent, -ant, -ist und -at gehören zur n-Deklination: der Student, der Präsident, der Praktikant, der Journalist, der Soldat.
- Many animal names follow n-declension
- Viele Tiere sind ebenfalls n-Deklination: der Löwe, der Hase, der Affe, der Elefant, der Bär.
- Some nouns add -s in genitive; das Herz is a special case
- Einige Nomen bekommen im Genitiv zusätzlich ein -s: der Name → des Namens, der Gedanke → des Gedankens, der Buchstabe → des Buchstabens; Sonderfall: das Herz → des Herzens.
- Der Herr takes -n in singular, -en in plural; plural looks regular
- Achtung bei „der Herr“: im Singular -n (mit dem Herrn, den Herrn), im Plural -en (die Herren). Im Plural sieht die n-Deklination wie ein normaler Plural aus: die Studenten, die Jungen, die Kollegen.
Examples
Common mistakes
- Writing "Ich sehe den Student" instead of "Ich sehe den Studenten" in accusative
- Using "mit dem Kollege" instead of "mit dem Kollegen" in dative
- Forgetting the genitive -s: writing "des Namen" instead of "des Namens"
- Saying "der Franzose" is correct, but "den Franzose" is wrong—use "den Franzosen"
FAQ
How do I know if a masculine noun uses n-declension?
Check if it ends in -e, has a foreign suffix like -ent/-ant/-ist/-at, is a nationality, or is a common animal name. If it fits one of these groups, it likely follows n-declension. Dictionaries mark these nouns with (n) or show the genitive form.
Does n-declension apply to feminine or neuter nouns?
No, n-declension applies only to masculine nouns, with one exception: das Herz is neuter but takes n-declension endings in oblique cases (des Herzens, dem Herzen). All other neuter and feminine nouns follow regular declension patterns.
Why does der Name become des Namens with an extra -s?
A small group of n-declension nouns add -s in the genitive case in addition to the -n ending: der Name, der Gedanke, der Buchstabe, der Glaube, and der Wille. This is a historical remnant and must be memorized for these specific nouns.