Adjectives as Adverbs

Level 2

No -ly is needed: the plain adjective says how. séier means fast or quickly, gutt means good or well: Hie fiert séier.

How It Works

English usually turns an adjective into an adverb with -ly: quick, quickly. Luxembourgish needs no ending. The plain adjective describes how someone does something:

  • séier: fast, quickly. Hie fiert séier.
  • gutt: good, well. Si schwätzt gutt Lëtzebuergesch.
  • lues: slowly, or quietly. Schwätz méi lues!
  • haart: loudly. Schwätz méi haart, wannechgelift!
  • roueg: quietly, calmly. D'Kanner spille roueg.
  • schlecht: badly. Ech hunn dës Nuecht schlecht geschlof.

No ending. With a verb, the word stays as it is, just like an adjective after sinn. Only before a noun does it take endings: e séieren Zuch (a fast train), eng séier Äntwert (a quick answer). See adjective endings.

Lues has two meanings. It can mean slowly or quietly, so the situation decides: Schwätz méi lues, ech hunn näischt verstanen! (Speak more slowly, I didn't understand anything!) Maach lues, d'Kanner schlofe schonn! (Be quiet, the children are already asleep!)

Comparing. For faster or better, put méi before the word, or use an irregular form: méi séier, méi lues, besser. See comparing with méi ... wéi and irregular comparatives.

Too. Put ze in front to say too: Du fiers ze séier! (You're driving too fast!)

Examples (6)

  1. Hie fiert séier.

    He drives fast.

    Séier describes how he drives, with no ending.

  2. Si schwätzt gutt Lëtzebuergesch.

    She speaks Luxembourgish well.

    Gutt means both good and well.

  3. Schwätzt wannechgelift méi lues!

    Please speak more slowly!

    A polite command with the dir form.

  4. D'Kanner spille roueg am Gaart.

    The children are playing quietly in the garden.

  5. Ech hunn dës Nuecht schlecht geschlof.

    I slept badly last night.

  6. Du fiers ze séier!

    You're driving too fast!

    Ze before the word means too.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding an adjective ending when the word goes with a verb.

    Hie fiert séieren.
    Hie fiert séier.

    When the word describes how something is done, it has no ending.

  • Forming the comparative with -er.

    Hie fiert séierer wéi ech.
    Hie fiert méi séier wéi ech.

    Most Luxembourgish comparatives use méi. Only a few words, like besser and léiwer, have their own form.

  • Leaving out the ending before a noun.

    Dat ass e séier Auto.
    Dat ass e séieren Auto.

    Before a noun, the word is an adjective again and takes an ending: masculine -en.

How It Connects

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

Adjectives as AdverbsLevel 2

Learn This First

Before Adjectives as Adverbs, learn Adjectives After Sinn.