Adjective + -e

Adjective Inflection

Level 1

In Dutch, adjectives usually get an -e ending when they stand before a noun (e.g., de grote man). The only time you leave it off is for singular, indefinite het-words (e.g., een groot huis).

How It Works

Most adjectives in Dutch are 'inflected' with an -e suffix when used attributively (placed before the noun).

When to add -e:

  • With all de-words: de grote boom, een grote boom.
  • With all plural nouns: grote bomen, grote huizen.
  • With definite het-words: This includes nouns used with het, demonstratives (dit, dat), or possessives (mijn, jouw, etc.): het grote huis, mijn grote huis.

When NOT to add -e:

  • Predicative position: If the adjective comes after a verb like zijn: De man is groot.
  • The 'No -e' Exception: Do not add -e if the noun is a het-word, singular, AND indefinite (preceded by een, geen, elk, welk, zo'n, or no article): een groot huis. This also applies to veel (much) and weinig (little) with singular het-words: veel koud water.
  • Adjectives ending in -en: All adjectives ending in -en (including material adjectives like houten and words like eigen or open) stay as they are.
  • Vowel endings: Adjectives ending in vowels like -e (roze), -a (prima), or loanwords (sexy, beige) do not take an -e.
  • Fixed exceptions: The words linker (left) and rechter (right) never take an -e: de linker hand.

Note on Meaning:
Sometimes omitting the -e with a de-word changes the meaning from literal to figurative. For example, een grote man is a tall man, but een groot man is a great/famous man.

Spelling Changes:
Adding an -e follows Dutch spelling rules: groot becomes grote; dik becomes dikke; lief becomes lieve.

Examples (6)

  1. De grote hond rent.

    The big dog runs.

    Word by Word: The big dog runs.

    'Hond' is a de-word, so the adjective 'groot' always gets an -e.

  2. Ik zie een kleine kat.

    I see a small cat.

    Word by Word: I see a small cat.

    'Kat' is a de-word; even with 'een', the adjective takes an -e.

  3. Het oude boek ligt daar.

    The old book lies there.

    Word by Word: The old book lies there.

    'Boek' is a het-word, but because it is definite ('het'), we add the -e.

  4. Mijn grote huis is wit.

    My big house is white.

    Word by Word: My big house is white.

    Possessives like 'mijn' make a het-word definite, so the adjective gets an -e.

  5. Dat is een mooi huis.

    That is a beautiful house.

    Word by Word: That is a beautiful house.

    This is the exception: 'huis' is a het-word, singular, and indefinite ('een'), so 'mooi' stays bare.

  6. De houten tafel staat in de kamer.

    The wooden table is in the room.

    Word by Word: The wooden table stands in the room.

    Adjectives ending in -en, like material adjectives, never take an extra -e.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding -e to a predicative adjective (after a verb).

    De man is grote.
    De man is groot.

    Adjectives only take an -e when they are placed BEFORE a noun. If they follow a verb like 'zijn', they stay in their base form.

  • Adding -e to indefinite singular het-words.

    Ik heb een mooie boek.
    Ik heb een mooi boek.

    Since 'boek' is a het-word and used with 'een', the adjective must not have an -e.

  • Adding -e to adjectives that already end in -en or specific vowels.

    De openne deur.
    De open deur.

    Adjectives ending in -en (like 'open' or 'houten') or vowels (like 'prima' or 'beige') do not take an extra -e.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Adjective + -eLevel 1Adjective Inflection

Learn This First

To learn adjective inflection, you must first understand the Dutch gender system (de vs. het) and how articles (definite and indefinite) function, as these determine whether the adjective receives an -e ending.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

And 11 more in the full list.

Words in This Pattern

-e