Rule 1: The definite article (the) ends in the key letter. (Nominative: der, die, das, die)
Rule 2: Demonstrative determiners (ie, words like dies-, jed-, solch- and welch-) also end in the key letter.
Rule 3: Except for the three asterisked key letters, the indefinite article (a, an), the negative determiner (no – ie, kein – as in none of), and all possessive determiners (ie, mein, dein, sein, ihr, unser, euer, Ihr) end in the key letter. For the asterisked key letters, these words have no ending.
Rule 4: If combined with any article or determiner, adjectives used before nouns in situations below the dark line all end in -n. (Example: Die netten Studenten haben mit der neuen Lehrerin gesprochen.)
Rule 5: If combined with any definite article or demonstrative determiner, adjectives used before nouns in situations above the dark line all end in -e. (Example: Der nette Student hat die neue Lehrerin kennen gelernt.)
Rule 6: If combined with any indefinite article or possessive determiner, adjectives used before nouns in situations above the dark line all end in the key letter. (Example: Ein netter Student hat sein neues Auto gefahren.)
Rule 7: Adjectives used before nouns with no article or determiner follow the key pattern RESE – NESE – MRMN – NRNR.