German Adjectives

In German grammar, the correct inflection of adjectives depends on the case, number and gender of the noun phrase, as well as what kind of determiner (if any) introduces the noun phrase.

Like articles, adjectives use the same plural endings for all three genders.

ein lauter Krach ("a loud noise")

der laute Krach ("the loud noise")

der große, schöne Mond ("the big, beautiful moon")

der lustige Mann ("the funny man")

Participles may be used as adjectives and are treated in the same way.

In contrast to Romance and North Germanic languages, adjectives are declined only in the attributive position (that is, when used in nominal phrases to describe a noun directly). Predicative adjectives, separated from the noun by "to be", for example, are not declined and are indistinguishable from adverbs.

not *Die Musik ist laute. but Die Musik ist laut. ("(The) music is loud.")

There are three degrees of comparison: positive form, comparative form, and superlative form. In contrast to Latin or Italian, there is no grammatical feature for the absolute superlative (elative).