Adjectives
Danish Adjectives Overview
Danish adjectives change their form based on three factors: the noun's gender (en/et), number (singular/plural), and whether the noun is in its definite (known) or indefinite form. For regular adjectives, there are three possible endings. When used with singular en-words (common gender), the adjective has no ending. With singular et-words (neuter gender), the adjective adds a -t ending. The -e ending is used in two situations: either with plural nouns or when the noun is in its definite (known) form. When referring to people with pronouns, they are typically treated as en-words (common gender).
- Common gender (en-words): no ending
- Neuter gender (et-words): -t ending
- Plural forms: -e ending
Regular Adjectives
| Description | Usage | Sentences |
|---|---|---|
| En words: - no ending | en rød næse | næsen er rød, min næse er rød |
| Et words: - t ending | et rødt øre | øret er rødt, mit øre er rødt |
| Plural: - e ending | røde næser; røde ører | næserne er røde, mine ører er røde |
| Known form: - e ending | den røde næse; mit røde øre | Peters røde ører; folks røde næser |
Additional Information
Important Note
Known form of noun plus adjective is in principal always composed as a sandwich: First comes a definer: den/det/de/min/ Peters ...., then comes the adjective ending on -e and then the noun. But when the noun is repeated, you leave it out to have an open sandwich: Jeg tog den røde cykel, Peter den grønne. (I took the red bike, Peter the green.)Irregular Adjectives
After a syllable with a short vowel, the consonant is doubled
- grøn → grønne
Adjectives ending in -e do not take any endings
- lille → lille (unchanged)
Adjectives ending in a stressed vowel take -t but not -e
- blå → blåt, blå
Adjectives ending in -en, -el, -er lose a syllable before the -e ending
- gammel → gamle
- lækker → lækre
Adjectives ending in -et do not take -t, the -e ending is written as -ede
- stribet → stribede
Adjectives already ending in -t do not take another -t
- kort → kort (unchanged in neuter)
Adjectives ending in -sk do not take -t
- historisk → historisk (unchanged in neuter)