Dutch Grammar - Adjectives

Adjectives

Within the Dutch noun phrase, adjectives are placed in front of the noun and after the article (if present). In this position, most adjectives have a basic form (e.g. wit "white", rood "red", zwart "black") and an inflected form, made by adding the suffix -e and making other orthographic adjustments as necessary (e.g. witte, rode, zwarte).

The inflected adjective is used before plural nouns of all genders, singular de-words (masculine and feminine nouns), and singular het-words (neuter nouns) preceded by a definite determiner. This means that the uninflected form is used before singular neuter nouns preceded by an indefinite determiner, or no determiner. For example:

• de-word:
  • de rode appel ("the red apple")
  • een rode appel ("a red apple")
  • rode appels ("red apples")
• het-word
  • het rode huis ("the red house", singular het-word with definite article)
  • een rood huis ("a red house", singular het-word with indefinite article)
  • rode huizen ("red houses", plural het-word)

This general rule is not absolute, however, and uninflected adjectives are in fact found in many other contexts. For example, if the adjective describes an inherent property of the (singular) noun, rather than a specification of it, the ending -e is dropped. The noun may be preceded by a definite article or no article.

• openbaar vervoer ("public transport (in general)")
• het openbaar vervoer ("the public transport (in general)")
• lijdend voorwerp ("grammatical object", literally suffering object)
• het lijdend voorwerp ("the grammatical object")

In contrast:

• het openbare vervoer van Amsterdam ("public transport of Amsterdam (specifically)")

Adjectives describing people often remain uninflected, for instance if they express an admirable quality:

• een groot man ("a great man"), but een grote man ("a big/tall man")
• een talentvol schrijver ("a talented writer")

Most adjectives ending in -en, for example material adjectives, have no inflected forms.

• een houten stoel ("a wooden chair")
• het stenen huis ("the brick house")
• metalen lampen ("metal lamps")

Adjectives in predicative position (e.g. after a copular verb) are uninflected:

• Die appel is rood. ("That apple is red.")
• Dit huis is rood. ("This house is red.")

After an indefinite pronoun, adjectives (except those whose stem ends in -s oder -sch) take the ending -s.

• Vertel me iets interessants. ("Tell me something interesting.")
• Ik heb iemand nieuws leren kennen. ("I have got to know somebody new.")

When used as nouns, adjectives take the ending -e in the singular and -en in the plural. This includes those whose stem ends in -en (which are otherwise uninflected, as stated above).

• Twee kaartjes voor een volwassene en een kind, alstublieft. ("Two tickets for an adult and a child, please.")
• De rijken moeten de armen helpen. ("The rich should help the poor.")