Compound Adjectives

Level 6Sounds Like složeni pridavki: makedonsko-angliski

Македонско-англиски речник is a Macedonian-English dictionary. The first adjective ends in -о, a hyphen joins the two, and only the last part agrees with the noun.

How It Works

With a hyphen: two equal parts. Each adjective keeps its own meaning, and the compound means "this and that". Test it with и: македонско-англиски is Macedonian and English, and црвено-жолт is red and yellow. Other examples are црно-бел (black and white) and природно-математички (of the natural sciences and mathematics), as in the name of a university faculty.

Only the last part changes. The first part always ends in -о and never changes. The last part agrees with the noun and takes the article (see the article on adjectives):

  • македонско-англиски речник, македонско-англиска граматика, македонско-англиски речници
  • македонско-англискиот речник (the Macedonian-English dictionary)

As one word: the first part describes the second. When the first part tells you what kind, how or how many, the compound is written together:

  • shades of colour: темноцрвен (dark red), светлосин (light blue)
  • a first part that works like an adverb: новоизграден (newly built), многуброен (numerous)
  • a number: двојазичен (bilingual)

Compounds joined by a linking -о- or -е-, such as великодушен (generous), are also one word, like the nouns in compound nouns.

Examples (6)

  1. Купив македонско-англиски речник.

    I bought a Macedonian-English dictionary.

    Word by Word: I-bought Macedonian-English dictionary.

  2. Знамето е црвено-жолто.

    The flag is red and yellow.

    Word by Word: Flag-the is red-yellow.

    Two equal colours, so there is a hyphen.

  3. Гледавме црно-бел филм.

    We watched a black-and-white film.

    Word by Word: We-watched black-white film.

  4. Таа студира на Природно-математичкиот факултет.

    She studies at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

    Word by Word: She studies at Natural-mathematical-the faculty.

    Only the last part takes the article.

  5. Носеше темноцрвен фустан.

    She was wearing a dark red dress.

    Word by Word: She-wore dark-red dress.

    Темно only describes the shade, so the compound is one word.

  6. Се вселија во новоизградената зграда.

    They moved into the newly built building.

    Word by Word: Themselves they-moved-in into newly-built-the building.

Common Mistakes

  • Making the first part agree with the noun.

    Ова е македонска-англиска граматика.
    Ова е македонско-англиска граматика.

    The first part always ends in -о. Only the last part changes for gender and number.

  • Writing a hyphen in a shade of colour.

    Носеше темно-црвен фустан.
    Носеше темноцрвен фустан.

    You cannot put и between темно and црвен, because the first part only describes the shade. Such compounds are written as one word.

How It Connects

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

Compound AdjectivesLevel 6

Learn This First

Compound adjectives follow adjectives from nouns.