"The little girl plays on the big drum."

Translation: Das kleine Mädchen spielt auf der großen Trommel.

[simopr1]

warum Kleine and no Klein? DAS!

[Max.Em]

Attributive adjectives, i.e. those in front of the nouns they refer to, always get a proper ending/declension. It would be klein without an ending only if it would be a predicative adjective, that is an adjective connected by verb like ist/sind/wird, for example "Das Mädchen ist klein und spielt auf der Trommel, die groß ist". Regardless of the gender der/die/das.

[simopr1]

Thanks! very helpful

[KristinaZolatova]

Why would it not be Das kleine Mädchen spielt auf der großer Trommel? Why the "n" ending for große since Trommel is a singular feminine noun?

[StevePrice451726]

Why not "kleines"?

[Amir235407]

Why dativ?

[Max.Em]

In general auf is a two-way preposition that can be used with dative or accusative depending on the meaning. Accusative is a motion (onto the drum) while dative is a position (on [top of] the drum).

[Amir235407]

I didn't think spielt would be motion..
Thanks!

.

[Max.Em]

I'm not sure if I got you right.... Spielen should not be a motion in this sense, just to be clear ;-).

[Arimorinkame]

why not das kleines? ;-;

[KateOHara10]

Can I check please that this means what we expect, that she is playing the drum, making music with the drum, and not that she is up on top of it just playing a game?