Adjectives (Junior Cert German): Revision Notes
Adjectives
Overview
Adjectives are words that describe nouns, telling us what something is like. In German, adjectives work similarly to English but with some important differences. They can either come before the noun they describe or appear after it, and they change their endings depending on various factors like the gender, case, and number of the noun they modify.
German adjectives serve the same purpose as in English - they help us paint a clearer picture of people, places, and things. However, mastering their use requires understanding when they change and when they stay the same.
Unlike English adjectives which never change form, German adjectives are highly flexible and must adapt to match the grammatical properties of the nouns they describe. This is one of the most challenging aspects of German grammar for English speakers.
Adjective positions
There are two main positions where German adjectives can appear, and this position determines whether they need special endings or not.
Attributive adjectives
When adjectives come directly before the noun they describe (usually between an article and the noun), they are called attributive adjectives. These adjectives must take special endings that match the noun's gender, case, and number.
Attributive Adjectives in Action
- Es war einmal ein reicher Mann. (Once upon a time, there was a rich man.)
- Seine Frau rief ihre einzige Tochter zu sich ans Bett. (His wife called her only daughter to her bed.)
In these examples, the adjectives "reicher" and "einzige" come before their nouns and take endings.
Predicate adjectives
When adjectives come after verbs like sein (to be), werden (to become), or heißen (to be called), they are called predicate adjectives. These adjectives never change their form - they always stay in their basic dictionary form.
Predicate Adjectives in Action
- Die Frau war leider sehr krank. (Unfortunately, the woman was very sick.)
- Sie sagte ihrer Tochter: Liebes Kind, sei fromm und gut! (She said to her daughter: Dear child, be devout and good!)
Notice how "krank", "fromm", and "gut" don't take any endings because they follow verbs.
Adjective endings
The endings that attributive adjectives take depend on what word comes before them. This is the most crucial concept in German adjective grammar. There are three main patterns based on the type of word that precedes the adjective.
After definite articles (weak endings)
When an adjective follows definite articles (der, die, das) or similar words, it takes weak endings because the article already shows the gender, case, and number clearly.
Weak Endings After Definite Articles
- Das kleine Aschenputtel wollte nur einen Zweig. (The little Cinderella wanted only a twig.)
- Der schöne Baum ist der einzige Trost für das arme Mädchen. (The beautiful tree is the only consolation for the poor girl.)
The adjectives "kleine" and "schöne" take weak endings because they follow definite articles.
After indefinite articles (strong endings)
When adjectives follow indefinite articles (ein, eine, kein) or similar words, they take strong endings because these articles don't show gender, case, and number as clearly.
Strong Endings After Indefinite Articles
- Ein weißes Vöglein kam jeden Tag zum Baum. (A white bird came to the tree every day.)
- Im Reich gab es einen alten König. (In the realm there was an old king.)
- Er arrangierte ein großes Fest für seinen Sohn. (He arranged a large feast for his son.)
Here, "weißes", "alten", and "großes" take strong endings after indefinite articles.
Unpreceded adjectives (strong endings)
When adjectives have no article or similar word before them, they take the same strong endings to show the gender, case, and number of the noun.
Unpreceded Adjectives with Strong Endings
- Viele schöne, junge Frauen im Lande wurden eingeladen. (Many beautiful, young women in the kingdom were invited.)
- Aschenputtel durfte nicht auf das Fest gehen; sie hatte nur schmutzige und staubige Kleider. (Cinderella was not allowed to go to the feast; she only had dirty and dusty clothes.)
The adjectives take strong endings because there are no articles before them.
The Golden Rule of German Adjective Endings
If the article clearly shows the gender, case, and number (like der/die/das), the adjective takes weak endings. If the article doesn't show this information clearly (like ein/eine) or there's no article at all, the adjective must take strong endings to provide this information.
Comparisons
German adjectives can be used to make comparisons, just like in English. The formation follows predictable patterns that make this aspect of German grammar relatively straightforward.
Comparative and superlative forms
Most adjectives form their comparative by adding -er and their superlative with der/die/das + adjective + -st.
Forming Comparisons
- Aschenputtels Leben wurde viel schlimmer, als sein Vater die andere Frau heiratete. (Cinderella's life became much worse when her father married the other woman.)
- Das arme Mädchen wurde jeden Tag immer trauriger. (The poor girl became sadder and sadder every day.)
- Der Prinz verliebte sich in Aschenputtel und brachte die schönsten Kleider. (The prince fell in love with Cinderella and brought the most beautiful clothes.)
Some adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms, such as gut → besser → der beste (good → better → the best). These irregular forms follow the same patterns as English irregular comparisons and must be memorised.
Adjectives without endings
Certain adjectives never take endings, regardless of their position. This is an important exception to the general rules and can simplify your German in many situations.
Adjectives That Never Change
The following types of adjectives never take endings:
- Most colour words borrowed from other languages: beige, rosa, lila, orange
- Foreign loan words: happy, prima, super
These adjectives stay the same whether they come before or after the noun they describe.
Common adjectives vocabulary
Here are essential adjectives organised by category for practical German communication:
Colors:
- blau (blue), rot (red), grün (green), schwarz (black), weiß (white)
- gelb (yellow), braun (brown), grau (grey)
Size and physical qualities:
- groß (big), klein (small), lang (long), kurz (short)
- dick (thick/fat), dünn (thin), breit (wide)
Appearance:
- schön (beautiful), hübsch (pretty), hässlich (ugly)
- jung (young), alt (old)
Personality and character:
- freundlich (friendly), nett (nice), böse (evil/angry)
- klug (smart), dumm (stupid), lustig (funny)
- ruhig (calm/quiet), laut (loud)
Feelings and states:
- glücklich (happy), traurig (sad), müde (tired)
- krank (sick), gesund (healthy)
Quality and condition:
- gut (good), schlecht (bad), neu (new), alt (old)
- sauber (clean), schmutzig (dirty)
Temperature:
- warm (warm), kalt (cold), heiß (hot), kühl (cool)
Common mistakes and tips
When learning German adjectives, students often make these mistakes. Being aware of these pitfalls will help you avoid them and speak more accurately.
Mistake 1: Using adjective endings with predicate adjectives
- ❌ Wrong: "Der Mann ist reicher"
- ✅ Correct: "Der Mann ist reich" (The man is rich)
Remember that adjectives after sein never change.
Mistake 2: Forgetting endings with attributive adjectives
- ❌ Wrong: "Der alt Mann"
- ✅ Correct: "Der alte Mann" (The old man)
Attributive adjectives always need endings.
Mistake 3: Using wrong endings after different articles
- ❌ Wrong: "Ein alter Frau"
- ✅ Correct: "Eine alte Frau" (An old woman)
Pay attention to the article to choose the right ending pattern.
Mistake 4: Adding endings to colour words
- ❌ Wrong: "Das rosas Kleid"
- ✅ Correct: "Das rosa Kleid" (The pink dress)
Most colour adjectives borrowed from other languages don't change.
Key Points to Remember:
- Adjectives before nouns take endings, adjectives after verbs like sein don't change
- Three ending patterns: weak (after der/die/das), strong (after ein/eine or nothing)
- Colours and foreign loan words typically don't take endings
- Comparative forms add -er, superlative forms use der/die/das + -st
- Always match the adjective ending to the gender, case, and number of the noun
- When in doubt, remember: if the article shows gender/case/number clearly, use weak endings; if not, use strong endings