A noun can be preceded not only by the definite but by the indefinite article as well, of course. The indefinite article also changes its forms in the four cases but somewhat differently from the definite article. In the nominative its forms are ein (masculine), eine (feminine), ein (neuter). So, the masculine and the neuter forms are the same. Thus, the indefinite article is a two-form determiner as it has two different forms in the nominative singular (ein and eine). That is where the declension of the definite article (three-form determiners) and that of the indefinite article (two-form determiners) differ. The indefinite article does not have plural forms, of course:
masculine feminine neuter plural
Nominative ein eine ein –
Accusative einen eine ein –
Dative einem einer einem –
Genitive eines einer eines –
E.g.:
Ein Mann kommt. ‘A man is coming.’ (nominative singular, masculine)
Ich sehe einen Mann. ‘I see a man.’ (accusative singular, masculine)
Ich gebe einem Mann einen Brief. ‘I give a letter to a man’ (‘to a man’ is dative singular, masculine)
Das Buch eines Kindes ‘the book of a child’ (‘of a child’ is genitive singular, neuter)
Another two-form determiner is the negative form of the indefinite article (kein, keine, kein) but it also has plural forms.
masculine feminine neuter plural
Nominative kein keine kein keine
Accusative keinen keine kein keine
Dative keinem keiner keinem keinen
Genitive keines keiner keines keiner
E.g.:
Kein Mann kommnt. ‘No man is coming.’
Ich habe keinen Bruder. ‘I have no brother.’ / ‘I haven’t a brother.’
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