Object Adjectives: -an / -ajn

Adjectives with the Object

Level 2

The adjective copies the ending of its noun.

How It Works

onemany
subjectbela domobelaj domoj
objectbelan domonbelajn domojn

The adjective copies both endings of its noun: -j for many and -n for an object, always in that order. A noun and its adjective always match, so you never write bela domon or belaj domon.

When several adjectives describe one noun, each one copies the endings: grandan belan domon (a big, beautiful house). Position does not matter, so domon belan has the same endings.

An adjective after estas describes the subject, not an object. It agrees in number but takes no -n: La domo estas bela.

Examples (5)

  1. Mi havas belan domon.

    I have a beautiful house.

    Belan matches domon, so both end in -n.

  2. Ŝi legas interesajn librojn.

    She reads interesting books.

    Interesajn copies -jn from librojn.

  3. Kenji trinkas varman teon.

    Kenji drinks hot tea.

    Varman copies -n from teon.

  4. Ewa aĉetas grandan ruĝan tason.

    Ewa buys a big red cup.

    Each adjective in the group copies the ending of tason.

  5. La domo estas bela.

    The house is beautiful.

    After estas the adjective describes the subject, so it takes no -n.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving -n off the adjective.

    Mi havas bela domon.
    Mi havas belan domon.

    The adjective must match its noun: both take -n.

  • Leaving -j off the adjective.

    Ŝi legas interesan librojn.
    Ŝi legas interesajn librojn.

    The noun is plural, so the adjective needs -j before the -n.

How It Connects

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

Object Adjectives: -an / -ajnLevel 2Adjectives with the Object

Learn This First

An adjective takes -n and -jn with its noun.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.