A2 Danish GrammarAdjective Endings
Master Danish adjective agreement and declension. Learn how adjectives change form based on the noun's gender (common/neuter), number (singular/plural), and definiteness. Understand the rules for adding -t for neuter and -e for plural and definite forms.
1Indefinite Singular Forms
In Danish, adjectives agree with the noun they describe. With indefinite singular nouns, the adjective takes different forms for common (en-words) and neuter (et-words) gender. Common gender uses the base form, while neuter gender adds -t. This is one of the most important grammar rules in Danish.
Adjective Forms with Indefinite Nouns
| Gender | Article | Adjective | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common | en | base form | en stor bil |
| Neuter | et | base + t | et stort hus |
| Common | en | base form | en rød kjole |
| Neuter | et | base + t | et rødt æble |
Examples
Det er en god bog.
It is a good book.
Common gender: 'god' (base form)
Det er et godt spørgsmål.
It is a good question.
Neuter gender: 'godt' (base + t)
Jeg har en ny telefon.
I have a new phone.
Common: 'ny' stays unchanged
Vi bor i et nyt hus.
We live in a new house.
Neuter: 'nyt' (ny + t)
2Plural Forms
In the plural, adjectives take the ending -e regardless of gender. This same -e ending is used for both common and neuter nouns in the plural. This simplifies things: whenever you see a plural noun, the adjective always ends in -e.
Plural Adjective Forms
| Singular (en) | Singular (et) | Plural (both) |
|---|---|---|
| en stor bil | et stort hus | store biler/huse |
| en gammel mand | et gammelt træ | gamle mænd/træer |
| en smuk pige | et smukt billede | smukke piger/billeder |
| en lang vej | et langt bord | lange veje/borde |
Examples
Der er mange høje bygninger.
There are many tall buildings.
Plural: 'høje' (høj + e)
Vi har to små børn.
We have two small children.
Plural: 'små' (irregular plural form)
Jeg kan lide danske film.
I like Danish films.
Plural: 'danske' (dansk + e)
De bor i gamle huse.
They live in old houses.
Plural: 'gamle' (gammel → gamle)
3Definite Forms
When used with definite nouns (den/det + noun, or noun with definite suffix), adjectives take the -e ending. This is the same -e as in the plural. Remember: definite = -e ending, just like plural. The pattern is: den/det + adj-e + noun(-en/-et).
Definite Adjective Forms
| Indefinite | Definite Form | Alternative Definite |
|---|---|---|
| en stor bil | den store bil | bilen er stor |
| et stort hus | det store hus | huset er stort |
| en rød rose | den røde rose | rosen er rød |
| et nyt vindue | det nye vindue | vinduet er nyt |
Examples
Den store hund løber hurtigt.
The big dog runs fast.
Definite: 'store' (stor + e)
Det gamle slot er smukt.
The old castle is beautiful.
Definite: 'gamle' (gammel → gamle)
Jeg kender den unge kvinde.
I know the young woman.
Definite: 'unge' (ung + e)
Det hvide hus ligger der.
The white house is over there.
Definite: 'hvide' (hvid + e)
4Special Adjective Forms
Some adjectives have irregular forms or spelling changes. Adjectives ending in -ig don't add -t in neuter (billigt → billig is wrong). 'Lille' (small) becomes 'små' in plural. 'Gammel' becomes 'gamle' in all other forms. Double consonants may simplify.
Irregular and Special Forms
| Adjective | Common | Neuter | Plural/Definite |
|---|---|---|---|
| lille (small) | lille | lille | små |
| gammel (old) | gammel | gammelt | gamle |
| egen (own) | egen | eget | egne |
| billig (cheap) | billig | billigt | billige |
Examples
Jeg har en lille kat.
I have a small cat.
'lille' - same in singular
Vi har to små katte.
We have two small cats.
'små' - irregular plural
Det er mit eget værelse.
It is my own room.
'eget' - neuter of 'egen'
Det er en billig restaurant.
It is a cheap restaurant.
-ig adjectives: note 'billigt' in neuter