Adjectives Before a Definite Noun

Level 3

Before a noun with the article, the adjective is weak: nýi bíllinn (the new car), nýja bókin, nýja húsið, nýju bílarnir.

How It Works

Singular (masculine · feminine · neuter), with góður (good)

  • Nominative: góði · góða · góða
  • Accusative: góða · góðu · góða
  • Dative: góða · góðu · góða
  • Genitive: góða · góðu · góða

Plural
góðu in every gender and every case.

When to use weak endings

  • Before a noun with the attached article: Ég keypti nýja bílinn. (I bought the new car.)
  • After þessi: þessi nýja bók (this new book). See This and These.
  • After a possessive that comes first: minn besti vinur (my best friend). The usual order is still noun + article + possessive: gamla húsið mitt.
  • In superlatives before a noun: hæsta fjallið (the highest mountain). See Superlatives.

After vera, use strong endings
When the adjective comes after vera, it is strong again, even if the noun has the article: Þessi nýja bók er mjög góð. Bíllinn er nýr. See Adjectives Without the Article.

Stem changes
gamall and lítill have short weak forms: gamli, gamla, gömlu and litli, litla, litlu (Adjectives Like Lítill and Gamall).

Examples (6)

  1. Ég keypti nýja bílinn.

    I bought the new car.

    Word by Word: I bought new the-car.

    bílinn has the article and is accusative, so the adjective is nýja.

  2. Þetta er gamla húsið mitt.

    This is my old house.

    Word by Word: This is old the-house my.

  3. Stóra húsið er hvítt.

    The big house is white.

    Word by Word: Big the-house is white.

    stóra is weak before húsið. hvítt after er is strong.

  4. Þessi nýja bók er mjög góð.

    This new book is very good.

    Word by Word: This new book is very good.

    nýja is weak after þessi. góð after er is strong.

  5. Við fórum með litlu börnin á ströndina.

    We took the little kids to the beach.

    Word by Word: We went with little the-children to the-beach.

  6. Hvar er rauða peysan mín?

    Where is my red sweater?

    Word by Word: Where is red the-sweater my?

Common Mistakes

  • Using the strong ending before a noun with the article.

    Ég keypti nýjan bílinn.
    Ég keypti nýja bílinn.

    bílinn has the article, so the adjective takes the weak ending -a.

  • Using the strong neuter -t before a noun with the article.

    Þetta er gamalt húsið mitt.
    Þetta er gamla húsið mitt.

    húsið has the article, so the adjective is weak: gamla.

  • Using a weak form after vera.

    Bíllinn er nýi.
    Bíllinn er nýr.

    After vera the adjective takes the strong ending, even when the noun has the article.

How It Connects

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Adjectives Before a Definite NounLevel 3

Learn This First

Weak adjective endings build on the strong ones and the article.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

þessi-a-u