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Nuts & Bolts of German (Explanations): Weak nouns (B1)
Weak
nouns are a relatively small group of masculine nouns, most of
which denote living beings, that add –n or -en in all
other cases beyond nominative singular, e.g.
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Singular |
Plural |
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nominative
accusative
dative
genitive |
der Ire
den Iren
dem Iren
des Iren |
die Iren
die Iren
den Iren
der Iren |
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Singular |
Plural |
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nominative
accusative
dative
genitive |
der Student
den Studenten
dem Studenten
des Studenten |
die Studenten
die Studenten
den Studenten
der Studenten |
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Weak nouns ending in -e such as Ire (Irishman) as well as
Bauer (peasant, farmer), Bayer (Bavarian), Nachbar
(neighbour) and Ungar (Hungarian), add only -n.
Herr (mister) adds an -n in the singular and -en in the
plural.
Buchstabe
(letter of the alphabet), Friede (peace), Gedanke
(thought), Glaube (belief), Name (name) and Wille
(will) also add an -s in the genitive singular.
Groups
of weak nouns:
-
nouns ending in -e denoting a male person or a male animal, e.g.
Junge (boy), Ire (Irishman), Franzose (Frenchman), Kollege
(colleague), Kunde (customer), Löwe (lion)
-
nouns ending in - ant, -at, -ent, -ist, -oge, -om, and -ot
denoting a male person, e.g.
-ant: Demonstrant (demonstrator), Protestant (protestant), Lieferant
(supplier)
-at: Diplomat (diplomat),
Demokrat (democrat), Technokrat (technocrat), Bürokrat (bureaucrat)
-ent:
Konsument (consumer), Präsident (president), Student (student)
-ist:
Anarchist (anarchist), Komponist (composer), Pazifist (pacifist)
-oge: Biologe (biologist), Demagoge (demagogue), Soziologe (sociologist)
-om: Dämon (demon), Ökonom (economist), Astronom (astronomer)
-ot: Pilot (pilot), Idiot (idiot)
and some
other nouns such as:
Architekt (architect)
Astronaut (astronaut)
Automat (automat)
Bär (bear)
Bauer (peasant, farmer)
Bayer (Bavarian)
Buchstabe (letter of the alphabet)
Doktorand
(graduate student studying for a doctorate)
Fotograf
(photographer)
Friede (peace)
Fürst (prince)
Gedanke (thought)
Glaube (belief)
Graf (count)
Held (hero)
Herr
(mister, gentleman)
Hirte (shepherd)
Kamerad (comrade)
Katholik (catholic)
Komet (comet)
Mensch (human being)
Monarch (monarch)
Nachbar (neighbour)
Name (name)
Narr (fool)
Philosoph (philosopher)
Prinz (prince)
Rebell (rebel)
Rekrut (recruit)
Spatz (sparrow)
Satellit (satellite)
Seismograph (seismograph)
Tyrann (tyrant)
Ungar (Hungarian)
Wille (will)
There is
also one weak neuter noun: das Herz (the heart)
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Singular |
Plural |
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nominative
accusative
dative
genitive |
das Herz
das Herz
dem Herzen
des Herzens |
die Herzen
die Herzen
die Herzen
die Herzen |
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