What is N-declension in German?

N-declension (also called "weak declension" or "schwache Deklination") is a pattern that applies to a closed set of masculine nouns. These nouns take an -(e)n suffix in every case except nominative singular: so der Junge (nom. sg.) but den Jungen (acc.), dem Jungen (dat.), des Jungen (gen.), and die Jungen (pl.). The pattern is 100% predictable once you know a noun belongs to the class — there are no individual irregularities within the main group.

Which nouns belong to N-declension?

There are four recognizable classes: (i) masculine nouns ending in -e — der Junge, der Kunde, der Affe, der Hase, der Löwe, der Kollege, der Genosse; (ii) masculine nouns denoting professions or people with endings such as -ent, -ant, -ist, -soph, -loge, -graf, -nom, -at — der Student, der Präsident, der Polizist, der Philosoph, der Biologe, der Fotograf, der Astronaut; (iii) masculine nouns denoting nationality or origin ending in -e — der Russe, der Türke, der Franzose, der Schwede; (iv) a small miscellaneous group including der Mensch, der Held, der Bär, der Fürst. Knowing these four patterns means you rarely need to memorize individual nouns.

Is "der Herr" an N-declension noun?

Yes, but der Herr is famously irregular within the class. In the singular, the accusative, dative, and genitive forms take -n (not -en): den Herrn, dem Herrn, des Herrn. In the plural, however, it takes -en: die Herren, den Herren. Do not use "den Herren" for the singular accusative — that is a very common mistake in formal address.

How do you recognize an N-declension noun?

Use the four-step sniff-test: (1) Is the noun masculine? N-declension never applies to feminine or neuter nouns. (2) Does it end in -e? Very likely N-declension (Class I or III). (3) Does it end in -ent, -ant, -ist, -soph, -loge, -graf, -nom, or -at? Almost certainly N-declension (Class II). (4) Still uncertain? Check the accusative singular in a dictionary: if the form is "den Xen" (not "den X"), it is N-declension. Memorizing the sniff-test is faster than memorizing the full list.

What about "der Buchstabe" and the mixed N-declension subgroup?

Der Buchstabe belongs to a minor subgroup sometimes called "mixed N-declension": its accusative and dative follow the standard -(e)n pattern (den Buchstaben, dem Buchstaben), but its genitive singular is des Buchstabens (with an additional -s). This genitive -ns form also appears in der Name (des Namens), der Gedanke (des Gedankens), der Glaube (des Glaubens), der Friede (des Friedens), and der Wille (des Willens).

Are feminine or neuter nouns ever N-declension?

No. N-declension is exclusive to masculine nouns. A common mistake is applying the pattern to feminine nouns like die Studentin — the accusative is die Studentin, not die Studentinnen (that is the plural, not accusative singular). Feminine -in nouns follow regular feminine declension. If you catch yourself adding -en to a feminine or neuter noun in the accusative, stop and check the gender.

Why does N-declension matter for the B1 exam?

N-declension errors are among the most heavily penalized mistakes in the Goethe B1 and telc B1 written-production sections. Examiners flag them immediately because the nominative-singular form (der Student) looks identical to the base form in a dictionary, making it easy to forget the oblique -(e)n suffix in a sentence (Ich kenne den Studenten, not Ich kenne den Student). Getting this right is a quick, learnable win that raises written-exam scores noticeably.

Are there any irregularities in the plural of N-declension nouns?

Most N-declension nouns form their plural regularly with -n or -en (e.g., die Jungen, die Studenten, die Kollegen). The notable irregularity is der Herr: while the singular oblique forms take -n (den Herrn), the plural takes -en (die Herren, den Herren). Der Bauer and der Nachbar add only -n (not -en): den Bauern, den Nachbarn. A few nouns in the nationality class also add only -n: den Türken, den Russen.

The hidden masculine class. -n on every form except nominative singular.

A small but important set of masculine nouns — der Junge, der Student, der Mensch — takes an -(e)n ending in every case except nominative singular. They look normal in a dictionary. In a sentence, every oblique form surprises learners who haven't learned the pattern. This page teaches you to recognise these nouns on sight.

TL;DR

What it is: a closed class of masculine nouns where every form except nominative singular takes -(e)n — accusative, dative, and genitive singular, plus all plural forms. Four classes: nouns ending in -e (Junge, Kollege), foreign profession endings (-ent, -ist, -loge…), nationality -e (Russe, Türke), and a small miscellaneous group (Mensch, Held). Sniff-test: if the accusative is den Xen (not den X), it is N-declension. Exceptions: der Herr takes -n (not -en) in the singular; der Name / Buchstabe take -ns in the genitive.

One exception. Every oblique case.

German has about 100 masculine nouns — roughly 2% of all German nouns — that behave differently from every other noun in the language. In the nominative singular they look completely ordinary: der Junge, der Student, der Mensch. Open a dictionary and you see only that form. But in every other case — accusative, dative, and genitive singular, and all plural forms — these nouns add -(e)n. Every time. Without exception.

This pattern is called N-declension (or schwache Deklination, "weak declension"). The key insight is that it is not random: it is a closed set with four predictable classes. Once you learn those four classes, you can recognise any N-declension noun on sight — no memorisation of a 100-item list required.

N-declension connects directly to the German case system. Every time you need accusative, dative, or genitive for one of these nouns, the ending is -(e)n. If you need a refresher on what those cases mean, see the cases guide.

The four noun classes

N-declension nouns fall into four recognisable groups. Learning these groups — rather than individual nouns — is the compressible insight this page is built around.

N-declension: four classes at a glance

TABLE

Class / Pattern	Example nouns	Forms (one noun)	Note
Class I -e ending	der Junge der Kunde der Affe	Nom der Junge Akk den Jungen Dat dem Jungen Gen des Jungen	takes -(e)n
Class II -ent / -ant / -ist / -soph / -loge / -graf / -nom / -at	der Student der Präsident der Polizist	Nom der Student Akk den Studenten Dat dem Studenten Gen des Studenten	often profession / education
Class III nationality -e	der Russe der Türke der Franzose	Nom der Russe Akk den Russen Dat dem Russen Gen des Russen	masculine country-of-origin nouns
Class IV miscellaneous	der Mensch der Held der Bär	Nom der Mensch Akk den Menschen Dat dem Menschen Gen des Menschen	memorize individually

All four classes take -(e)n in Akk / Dat / Gen singular. Plural is regular -n / -en.

Full declension: der Junge

The worked example below shows all four cases in singular and plural. Every cell where -(e)n appears is highlighted — that is every form except nominative singular.

der Junge — complete declension table

TABLE

Fall	Singular	Plural
Nominativ	der Junge	die Jungen
Akkusativ	den Jungen	die Jungen
Dativ	dem Jungen	den Jungen
Genitiv	des Jungen	der Jungen

Singular accusative, dative, and genitive are all identical: Jungen. Learn the accusative once — you know all three.

Every oblique singular form is identical: den / dem / des Jungen. Once you learn the accusative, you know dative and genitive too.

Per-class breakdown

Each class has its own triggering pattern. Work through them once and you will recognise N-declension nouns without needing a list.

Class I -e ending masculines

Nearly all masculine nouns ending in -e follow N-declension. The -e is part of the stem — it does not disappear.

der Junge, der Kunde, der Affe, der Hase, der Löwe
der Kollege, der Genosse, der Bote, der Erbe
Note: der Bauer takes -n (not -en): den Bauern

Ich sehe den Jungen. — I see the boy.

Ich helfe dem Kunden. — I'm helping the customer.

Das ist das Büro des Kollegen. — That is the colleague's office.

Class II profession / education endings

Masculine nouns with foreign-origin suffixes -ent, -ant, -ist, -soph, -loge, -graf, -nom, -at almost always denote a person and follow N-declension.

der Student, der Präsident, der Astronaut, der Polizist
der Philosoph, der Biologe, der Fotograf, der Astronom

Ich kenne den Studenten. — I know the student.

Der Präsident hat dem Astronauten gedankt. — The president thanked the astronaut.

Class III nationality -e

Masculine nouns denoting nationality or ethnic origin and ending in -e follow N-declension. (Feminine forms like die Russin do not.)

der Russe, der Türke, der Franzose, der Schwede
der Grieche, der Pole, der Tscheche, der Däne

Ich spreche mit dem Russen. — I'm speaking with the Russian.

Das ist die Karte des Franzosen. — That is the Frenchman's card.

Class IV miscellaneous (memorize)

A small fixed group of masculine nouns — mostly denoting persons or large animals — follows N-declension without fitting the other patterns. These must be learned individually.

der Mensch, der Held, der Bär, der Fürst
der Abt, der Graf, der Hirt, der Tor (= fool)

Ich kenne den Menschen. — I know the person.

Der König hat den Helden gelobt. — The king praised the hero.

How to recognise an N-declension noun

Run this four-step check whenever you encounter an unfamiliar masculine noun. It takes about three seconds.

The four-step sniff-test

1
Is the noun masculine (der)?

If no → stop. N-declension never applies to feminine or neuter nouns.
2
Does it end in -e?

Very likely N-declension (Class I or III).
3
Does it end in -ent, -ant, -ist, -soph, -loge, -graf, -nom, or -at?

Almost certainly N-declension (Class II) — especially if it denotes a person.
4
Still uncertain? Check the accusative singular.

If the form is den Xen (not den X) → it is N-declension. Dictionaries often list this as der Junge, -n, -n after the headword.

If den Xen → N-declension. Full stop.

Irregularities and special cases

Four subgroups deviate slightly from the standard N-declension pattern. These are the forms that trip up learners who think they have mastered the rule.

der Herr — singular -n, plural -en

In the singular, oblique forms take -n (not -en). In the plural they take -en. The two forms are not interchangeable.

Fall	Singular	Plural
Nominativ	der Herr	die Herren
Akkusativ	den Herrn	die Herren
Dativ	dem Herrn	den Herren
Genitiv	des Herrn	der Herren

Ich schreibe an Herrn Müller. — I'm writing to Mr Müller.

Bitte sagen Sie Herrn Schmidt Bescheid. — Please let Mr Schmidt know.

Die Herren sind eingeladen. — The gentlemen are invited. (plural)

Mixed N-declension — genitive adds -ns

A small group follows N-declension in Akk and Dat, but takes -ns in the genitive singular (not just -n). Accusative and dative are standard.

Nominativ	Akkusativ	Dativ	Genitiv
der Name	den Namen	dem Namen	des Namens
der Buchstabe	den Buchstaben	dem Buchstaben	des Buchstabens
der Gedanke	den Gedanken	dem Gedanken	des Gedankens
der Glaube	den Glauben	dem Glauben	des Glaubens
der Wille	den Willen	dem Willen	des Willens
der Friede	den Frieden	dem Frieden	des Friedens

The -ns genitive is the only deviation — everything else is standard -(e)n.

der Bauer and der Nachbar — only -n

These Class I members take -n (not -en) in all oblique forms. The stem does not end in -e, so no extra vowel is added.

den Bauern (not den Baueren)

dem Bauern, des Bauern

den Nachbarn, dem Nachbarn, des Nachbarn

der Mensch — Class IV, no visual clue

der Mensch follows regular N-declension (den Menschen, dem Menschen, des Menschen), but the ending -sch gives no visual hint. It is one of the most frequently tested N-declension nouns because learners forget it.

Ich kenne den Menschen. — I know the person.

Er arbeitet für den Menschen. — He works for the person.

N-declension vs. the dative plural -n

Two different rules both produce -n endings. Learners often conflate them.

N-declension vs. n-Dativ-Plural

Both rules add -n, but they apply to completely different sets of nouns and cases.

N-declension applies to ~100 masculine nouns only

-(e)n in Akk / Dat / Gen singular AND all plural forms

den Jungen (Akk sg), dem Jungen (Dat sg), den Jungen (Dat pl)

Class: masculine only. Triggered by noun class, not case alone.

n-Dativ-Plural applies to ALL nouns in German

Dative plural adds -n to ALL nouns unless they already end in -n or -s

mit den Büchern (Dat pl), in den Städten (Dat pl), mit den Autos (no -n added)

Universal rule: applies to every gender and every noun class.

Both rules can stack: an N-declension noun in the dative plural takes -(e)n from N-declension, which also satisfies the dative-plural -n rule. E.g., 'mit den Kollegen' — Kollege is N-declension, and the dative plural -n is part of the same ending.

Adjective endings with N-declension nouns

N-declension affects only the noun. The adjective still follows normal weak or strong declension — it does not do anything special because the noun is N-declension.

Fall	Example	Note
Nominativ	der nette Junge	adjective: weak -e after der
Akkusativ	den netten Jungen	adjective: weak -en; noun: -en from N-decl
Dativ	dem netten Jungen	adjective: weak -en; noun: -en from N-decl
Genitiv	des netten Jungen	adjective: weak -en; noun: -en from N-decl

For the full adjective ending system, see the adjective endings guide.

Why this matters for the B1 exam

N-declension errors are among the most heavily penalised mistakes in the Goethe B1 and telc B1 written-production sections. Native speakers notice *Ich kenne den Student immediately — the nominative form in an accusative slot stands out as clearly wrong. The good news is that because N-declension is a closed set with four predictable classes, it is one of the fastest advanced-grammar wins available to a B1 learner. A single focused session on the four classes and the sniff-test gives a measurable exam edge.

N-declension connects directly to the case system — if you are not yet comfortable with all four cases and when to use each, the Review the four cases → is the right next step.

Common mistakes

These are the five errors that appear most often in B1 written-production tasks and spoken exams.

Ich kenne den Student. → Ich kenne den Studenten.

Akkusativ triggers -(e)n — the most common forgotten ending.

die Studentin → *die Studentinnen (sg.) → die Studentin (sg.) — die Studentinnen (pl.)

N-declension is masculine only. Feminine -in nouns follow regular feminine declension.

Ich schreibe an den Herren Müller. → Ich schreibe an Herrn Müller.

Singular accusative of Herr is Herrn, not Herren. Herren is plural.

Er arbeitet mit dem Student. → Er arbeitet mit dem Studenten.

Dativ also triggers -(e)n — the same ending applies across Akk, Dat, and Gen.

Ich sehe den Mensch. → Ich sehe den Menschen.

Mensch is Class IV: no obvious ending-pattern clue, but it is very high-frequency.

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