Dutch grammar: bijvoeglijke naamwoorden

What this grammar point covers

In Dutch, 'bijvoeglijke naamwoorden' are adjectives. They describe or give more information about a noun, like color, size, or quality.

When to use it

Use adjectives in Dutch to describe people, animals, things, or places. They usually come before the noun.

Key forms

• Basic form: mooi huis
• With -e ending: mooie vrouw
• No -e after 'een' and an 'onzijdig' (neuter) word: een mooi kind

Examples

Tips

• Most adjectives get an -e ending before a noun, except after 'een' with neuter singular nouns.
• Adjectives do not change for gender, only for number and definiteness.
• Pay attention to spelling changes when adding -e, like 'groot' to 'grote'.

Exceptions and edge cases

• Some adjectives have irregular forms, like 'goed' (good) becomes 'goede' with -e.
• Adjectives ending in -en do not get an extra -e.