Compound Adjectives

Level 5

Compound adjectives join two parts with -o. Use a hyphen when the parts are equal, as in slovensko-maďarský (Slovak and Hungarian), and write one word when the first part describes the second, as in tmavomodrý (dark blue).

How It Works

How they are built. The first part is an adjective stem ending in -o, and the second part is a full adjective: slovensk-ý → slovensko-, tmav-ý → tmavo-.

With a hyphen: equal parts. The parts stand side by side, and you could join them with a (and):

  • slovensko-maďarský (Slovak and Hungarian): slovensko-maďarská hranica
  • anglicko-slovenský: anglicko-slovenský slovník (an English-Slovak dictionary)
  • žlto-zelený (yellow and green, for example a striped flag)
  • výchovno-vzdelávací (educational and teaching)

As one word: one part describes the other. The first part says more about the second, and the compound often comes from a phrase:

  • shades of colour: tmavomodrý (dark blue), svetlozelený (light green), žltozelený (a yellowish green)
  • from a phrase: malokarpatský (from Malé Karpaty), pracovnoprávny (from pracovné právo, labour law)
  • with a number: dvojizbový byt (a two-room flat), päťročný (five-year-old)

So žlto-zelený and žltozelený mean different things: yellow and green, or one yellowish-green colour.

Endings. Only the last part agrees with the noun; the first part always stays in -o: na slovensko-maďarskej hranici, v tmavomodrom kabáte. For the simple adjectives inside these compounds, see adjectives that link to a noun.

Examples (6)

  1. Na slovensko-maďarskej hranici sú dlhé kolóny.

    There are long queues at the Slovak-Hungarian border.

    Word by Word: On Slovak-Hungarian border are long queues.

    Only the last part changes its ending: maďarskej.

  2. Mám na sebe tmavomodrý sveter.

    I'm wearing a dark blue jumper.

    Word by Word: I-have on myself dark-blue jumper.

  3. Kúpil som si anglicko-slovenský slovník.

    I bought an English-Slovak dictionary.

    Word by Word: I-bought myself English-Slovak dictionary.

  4. Stenu natreli na svetlozeleno.

    They painted the wall light green.

    Word by Word: Wall they-painted to light-green.

  5. Hľadáme dvojizbový byt v centre.

    We're looking for a two-room flat in the centre.

    Word by Word: We-look-for two-room flat in centre.

  6. Malokarpatské vína sú známe po celom Slovensku.

    Wines from the Little Carpathians are known all over Slovakia.

    Word by Word: Little-Carpathian wines are known across whole Slovakia.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting a hyphen in a colour shade.

    Mám na sebe tmavo-modrý sveter.
    Mám na sebe tmavomodrý sveter.

    Tmavo- describes the kind of blue, so the compound is one word: tmavomodrý.

  • Writing equal parts as one word.

    Stretli sa na slovenskomaďarskej hranici.
    Stretli sa na slovensko-maďarskej hranici.

    The border is both Slovak and Hungarian. Equal parts take a hyphen.

  • Declining the first part too.

    Na slovenskej-maďarskej hranici sú kolóny.
    Na slovensko-maďarskej hranici sú kolóny.

    The first part always ends in -o. Only the last part agrees with the noun.

How It Connects

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

Compound AdjectivesLevel 5

Learn This First

Before Compound Adjectives, learn Adjectives That Link to a Noun. Compound adjectives are built from relational adjectives.