Weak Nouns (schwache Substantiven)

A.        Weak nouns are masculine and have the ending -(e)n throughout the plural and in all cases of the singular, except for nominative.

 

 

Nom.

Gen.

Dat.

Acc.

Sing

der Mensch

des Menschen

dem Menschen

den Menschen

Plur

die Menschen

der Menschen

den Menschen

die Menschen

 

  1. Most masculine nouns ending in -e ('der Käse' is a notable exception)

·         Affe (monkey)

·         Bote (messenger)

·         Franzose (Frenchman)

·         Junge (boy)

·         Löwe (lion)

·         Matrose (sailor)

·         Neffe (nephew)

 

  1. Many nouns ending in -at; -ant; -ent; -ist, -ph, etc.

·         Christ (Christian)

·         Elefant (elephant)

·         Fotograf (photographer)

·         Philosoph (philosopher)

·         Präsident (president)

·         Sozialist (socialist)

·         Soldat (soldier)

·         Student (student)

 

  1. Some other old German nouns

·         Bauer (farmer)

·         Bär (bear)

·         Fürst (prince)

·         Graf (count)

·         Held (hero)

·         Herr (gentleman/Mr)

·         Mensch (human)

·         Nachbar

·         Prinz (prince)

 

B.         There are eight masculine nouns with the same declension as above except that they take -(e)ns in the genitive singular:

 

·         Buchstabe (letter of alphabet)

·         Gedanke (thought)

·         Friede (peace)

·         Funke (spark)

·         Glaube (belief)

·         Name (name)

·         Same (seed)

·         Wille (will)

 

 

Nom.

Gen.

Dat.

Acc.

Sing

der Name

des Namens

dem Namen

den Namen

Plur

die Namen

die Namen

die Namen

die Namen

 

C.         There is also a group of neuter nouns which all take -(e)n in the plural:

 

·         Auge (eye)

·         Bett (bed)

·         Ende (end)

·         Hemd (shirt)

·         Insekt (insect)

·         Interesse (interest)

·         Ohr (ear)

·         Leid (sorrow)

·         Statut (statute)