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Adjectives

Adjective Inflection Rules

PositionDe-wordHet-wordPlural
Before noun (definite: de/het/die/dat)de grote manhet grote huisde grote huizen
Before noun (indefinite: een)een grote maneen groot huisgrote huizen
After noun (predicative)De man is groot.Het huis is groot.De huizen zijn groot.

KEY RULE: Adjectives before a het-word with "een" (or no article) do NOT get -e.

Predicative adjectives (after zijn, worden, lijken, etc.) never get -e: "Het kind is klein." Attributive adjectives (before a noun) almost always get -e, except before singular het-words with indefinite article.

Spelling Rules for Adjectives

RuleBase formInflected (-e)
Double vowel → single before consonantroodrode
Single vowel stays single before -e (open syllable)grootgrote
Final -f → -vlieflieve
Final -s → -z (sometimes)grijsgrijze
No change neededmooimooie

Comparative and Superlative

DegreeFormationExample
Positivebase formgroot (big)
Comparativebase + -ergroter (bigger)
Superlative (predicative)het + base + -sthet grootst (the biggest)
Superlative (attributive)base + -stede grootste man
Irregular: goed—goed → beter → het best(e)
Irregular: veel—veel → meer → het meest(e)
Irregular: weinig—weinig → minder → het minst(e)

Adjectives ending in -r add -der: duur → duurder. Very long adjectives use "meer/meest".