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Learn to Speak German Online:
German Grammar Guidebook

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Adjectives and Adverbs

Adjectives
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Adjectives modify the meaning of nouns; adverbs modify the meaning of verbs, adjectives or other adverbs.

ADJECTIVE
 

Good restaurants are rare. (both modify the meaning of the noun)

ADVERB
 

We eat well. (modifying verb)
We eat very well. (modifying another adverb)
This is a very good restaurant. (modifying an adjective)

Adjectives and Adverbs Without Endings

Adjectives which stand independently after the verb "to be" are called predicate adjectives. In German, predicate adjectives and adverbs have the same form: they take no ending.

(PREDICATE) ADJECTIVE
 

Ist das gut so? Das ist teuer.
Is that OK like that? That is expensive.

ADVERB
 

Wo kann man hier gut essen?  Man isst hier teuer, aber gut.
Where can you eat well here?  You eat expensively here, but well.

When adjectives stand before a noun, they are called attributive adjectives.
 



Examples of Adjectives and Adverbs

  • Ist das gut so? Name, Anschrift, Passnummer?
  • Bis 18 Uhr. Sie haben noch eine ganze Stunde Zeit.
  • Ich habe bei Freunden gegessen. Sie sind gesund.