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UNIT FOUR
Adjectives
Introduction
Building on information in Unit 11 of Basic Dutch, this unit discusses
derivation of adjectives, the adjective in comparison, and the adjective
after indefinite pronouns.
Adjective endings
The adjective can have two positions in the sentence. When it follows the
noun, it is called a predicate adjective (het huis is groot), and when it appears
right before the noun, it is called an attributive adjective (het grote huis).
The predicate adjective is always unflexed. Attributive adjectives always
end in -e, except before ‘het-words’ in the singular in an indefinite context
(with an indefinite article or pronoun or without an article).
Definite Indefinite
Singular de grote auto Singular een grote auto
het grote huis een groot huis
Plural de grote auto’s Plural – grote auto’s
de grote huizen – grote huizen
Derivation of adjectives
There are many ways in Dutch to form adjectives from other root words,
such as verbs, nouns, names, and so on. This section discusses adjective
derivation with past and present participles, with prefixes, and with
suffixes.