TOP
Hear Dutch Here — Learn Dutch
There's never been a better time
100% Free Guide to the Website
Full Site Map - Mobile
Words, Vocabulary - Spelling and Pronunciation
Shorts - Verbs - Word Order - Exercises - 2 - MX
Lessons - Programs - Read and Listen to Dutch
Find Dutch words: Dutch List - English to Dutch
or:   my site
[Marco at Microphone]
Facebook page  

50 bijvoeglijke naanwoorden en bijwoorden
- an Introduction to common Dutch Adverbs and Adjectives

 Introduction 
 The -E Ending Spelling Rules 
 Adjectives and Adverbs, with Examples of Usage and Links to more Examples 

Introduction to Adjectives and Adverbs

Adjectives tell more about, further specity, modify nouns.
Adverbs tell more about verbs, adjectives and other words that are not nouns, further specify, modify.
Adverbs are the 'root' form you'll find in dictionaries and words lists.
Adjectives in most positions get an -E ending, except when used for singular 'het'- words after een / 'n click to hear ('a') - geen click to hear ('no, not a,' zero quantity) or no article. Adjectives ending in single E or with a single E -EN ending don't add an -E.
Dutch doesn't have something like the -LY ending that English adverbs often have.

een mooi schilderij click to hear 2 a beautiful painting
Nederlands is een mooie taal click to hear Dutch is a beautiful language ‑>>
Zij zingt mooi click to hear She sings beautifully, she has a beautiful voice
Hij lacht hard click to hear He's laughing loudly
hard praten click to hear 2 talking loudly
harde muziek click to hear 2 loud music
langzaam maar zeker click to hear 2 3 slowly but certainly
De vader voerde het kind langzaam een bord pap click to hear 2 3 The dad slowly fed the child a plateful of porridge
Verschrikkelijk langzaam click to hear slow 2 Terribly slow

(het) bijvoeglijk naamwoord click to hear 2 adjective
(het) bijwoord click to hear 2 3 adverb
(het) zelfstandig naamwoord click to hear 2 3 noun
(het) werkwoord click to hear verb ‑>>
(het) lidwoord click to hear 2 article ‑>> bepaald lidwoord click to hear 'definite article' ('the' - de, het, 't)
onbepaald lidwoord click to hear 'indefinite article' ('a' - een, 'n)

the: de click to hear 2 / het click to hear 2 3 - 't click to hear ->>
Plurals always take 'de'
a: (een) - 'n click to hear / one: één click to hear 2 3

het lelijke eendje click to hear
geen lelijk eendje click to hear 2
the ugly duckling
not an ugly duckling

de appel is groen
de groene appel
een groene appel
het groene appeltje
een groen appeltje
hear

The apple is green
the green apple
a green apple
the little green apple
a little green apple
de lange man
een lange man
het lange boek
een lang boek
de baby slaapt lang
hear

the tall man
a tall man
the long book
a long book
the baby sleeps long (for a long time)

de mars was lang click to hear the march was long
de lange mars click to hear the long march
een lange mars click to hear a long march
geen lange mars click to hear not a long march
het verhaal was lang click to hear the story was long
het lange verhaal click to hear the long story
een lang verhaal click to hear a long story
geen lang verhaal click to hear not a long story

Adjectives ending in single E or slingle E -EN ending do not add an -E (many past participles and materials have an -EN ending)

oranje click to
  hearorange - colors
oranje rozen click to hear 2 3 orange roses - flowers
roze click to hear pink
(de) roze roos click to hear 2 (the) pink rose
(Note the 'French O' in 'roze')
open click to hear open ‑>>
de open deur click to hear 2 3 the open door
gouden click to hear golden
'het gouden graan' click to hear 2 'the golden grain'
ijzeren click to hear 2 iron, made of iron
'(het) ijzeren ros' click to hear your [iron horse] (solid) bicycle (jocular)
glazen click to hear glass, made of glass
glazen potjes click to hear glass jars
houten click to hear 2 wooden, made of wood
het houten schip click to hear the wooden ship
een houten schip click to hear a wooden ship
het gezonken schip click to hear the sunken ship
het verdronken land click to hear the flooded, drowned land
See also: ijzer / ijzeren etc.

The Spelling Rules for Adding the -E Ending

The -E ending doesn't change the sound of the vowels, just the spelling of the word

See lesson 11 for a longer explanation with many more spelling examples and a few more unusual cases

To keep things simple, for an adverb, you could add niet click to hear 2 ('not') to it to make an opposite, or geen click to hear ('no, zero quantity') or niet een click to hear ('not a') for an adjective ‑>> but that's not always great Dutch.
Waarom kan 't niet gemakkelijk zijn? click to hear 2 Why can't it be easy? Why does it have to be hard? Many words can form an opposite or negative by adding the prefix on- click to hear 2 or the suffix -loos click to hear 2. See the related page: on- and -loos

Common Adjectives and Adverbs

Meten click to hear to measure, take measurements ‑>>
(de) afmetingen click to hear 2 dimensions, measurements, size ‑>>
(de) grootte click to hear 2 3 size  -  (de) omvang click to hear 2 extent, scope
(de) maat click to hear size, measurement (clothes, shoes) - numbers - smartphone version
de) beschrijving click to hear 2 description - (de) omschrijving click to hear 2 description ‑>>
specificeren click to hear 2 to specify - definiëren click to hear 2 to define

In the examples you'll see a few adjectives used as nouns

groot click to hear 2 3 4 5
grote click to hear 2
groot / grote click to hear 2
large; big; tall; great
grote hoeveelheden click to hear 2 3 4 large amounts
Wim is groot click to hear Wim is tall
(de) grote teen click to hear (the) big toe
Karel de Grote click to hear 2 Charles the Great - Charlemagne
more examples
klein click to hear 2 3 4 5
kleine click to hear -
klein / kleine click to hear 2
small, little, short in height 
een klein kind click to hear 2 a small child
een klein beetje click to hear 2 a little, a little bit
Henk is klein click to hear Henk is short
more examples

lang click to hear 2 3 4
lange click to hear
lang / lange click to hear
long, tall
(de) lange kant click to hear 2 3 (the) long side
de lange vraag click to hear the long question
lang geleden click to hear 2 long ago
more examples
kort click to hear 2 3 4
korte click to hear 2
kort / korte click to hear
short
(de) korte kant click to hear 2 3 4 (the) short side
het korte antwoord click to hear 2 he short answer
binnenkort click to hear 2 [within short] soon, shortly
more examples

breed click to hear
brede click to hear 2
breed / brede click to hear 2
wide
de Brede Weg click to hear 2 Broadway - in Dutch New York
De rivier was te breed om over te zwemmen click to hear 2 3 The river was too wide to swim across
more examples
wijd click to hear
wijde click to hear 2
wijd / wijde click to hear 2
wide
Wereldwijde week van de veiligheid click to hear 2 [World-wide] 'Global safety week'
more examples
smal click to hear 2
smalle click to hear
smal / smalle click to hear
narrow
'n smalle deur click to hear 2 3 a narrow door
more examples
nauw click to hear 2 3
nauwe click to hear 2
narrow
nauwe pijpen click to hear 2 3 narrow pant legs, 'skinny pants'
more examples

hoog click to hear 2 3
hoge click to hear
hoog/hoge click to hear
high
hoge kosten click to hear 2 3 high cost[s]
(de) hoge snelheid click to hear 2 3 4 high speed
geen hoge verwachtingen click to hear 2 3 no [high] great expectations
more examples
laag click to hear 2 3 4
lage click to hear
laag/lage click to hear 2
low
(de) lage prijs click to hear 2 3 4 (the) low price
Op een laag pitje click to hear [on a low burner] on the back burner - something given low priority, not pursued vigorously
more examples

dichtbij click to
    hear
near, close by,
close to (place)
We zijn dicht bij de grens click to hear We're close to the border
more examples
nabij click to hear 2
nabije click to hear 2
nabij / nabije click to hear 2
near, close by (time)
't Einde is nabij click to hear 2 slow The end is near
de verre toekomst en de nabije toekomst click to hear the far future and the near future
more examples
ver click to hear 2 3
ver / verre click to hear
far
ver weg click to hear 2 3 far away
Hoe ver is het? click to hear 'How far is it?'
Het is niet ver click to hear 2 'It's not far'
more examples

dik click to hear
dikke click to hear 2
dik / dikke click to hear 2 3
big, fat, heavy, plump
// thick
De dikke en de dunne click to hear 2 'the fat one and the skinny one' - Laurel & Hardy
Is het ijs dik genoeg? click to hear 2 3 4 Is the ice thick enough?
dikke soep click to hear 2 thick soup
more examples
dun click to hear
dunne click to hear 2
dun / dunne click to hear 2
thin, skinny
'door dik en dun' click to hear 'through thick and thin'
dunne banden click to hear 2 thin tires (bicycle)
een dun laagje sneeuw click to hear 2 3 a thin layer of snow
verdunnen click to hear 2 3 to dilute
more examples
mager click to hear
magere click to hear 2
mager / magere click to hear 2
skinny, 'thin'
M'n zoon is net zo mager als ik click to hear My son is just as skinny as I
magere melk click to hear 2 ['skinny'] nonfat, skim milk
more examples

licht click to hear
lichte click to hear 2 3
licht / lichte click to hear
light, low weight
Gewogen en te licht bevonden click to hear 2 3 'Weighed and found too light' - Judged and found wanting
lichte straf click to hear 2 3 4 5 light punishment
more examples
zwaar click to hear
zware click to hear
zwaar / zware click to hear
heavy
Hoe zwaar? click to hear How heavy? What's the weight?
een zware taak click to hear 2 3 a serious assignment, a difficult task
zware straf click to hear 2 3 severe punishment
more examples

licht click to hear
lichte click to hear 2 3
licht / lichte click to hear
light, well-lighted
een lichte kamer click to hear 2 3 a light room, a well-lighted room, a room with much sunlight
't Is lang licht click to hear 2 It's light for a long time
more examples
donker click to hear 2
donkere click to hear 2 3
donker/donkere click to hear
dark
de donkere dagen vòòr Kerstmis click to hear 2 the dark days before Christmas
't Wordt zo vroeg donker click to hear 2 3 It gets dark so early
Donkere wolken pakken samen click to hear Dark clouds are gathering
more examples

mooi click to hear
mooie click to hear ‑>>
mooi / mooie click to hear 2
beautiful, pretty
't Is zo'n mooi potlood click to hear It's such a pretty pencil ‑>>
Je geeft 't slechte weer zo mooi weer click to hear You [represent] depict the bad weather (so) beautifully
Mooi is 't niet click to hear 2 3 4 It's not pretty, "pretty it ain't"
more examples
lelijk click to hear 2
lelijke click to hear 2 3
lelijk / lelijke click to hear 2
ugly
een lelijk standbeeld click to hear 2 an ugly statue
Het is lelijk weer click to hear It's ugly, bad weather
de lelijke eend click to hear the ugly duck
more examples


(de) kleur click to hear 2 color - kleuren click to hear colors ‑>> - 2







rood / rode
click to hear
oranje
click to hear
geel / gele
click to hear
groen / groene
click to hear
blauw / blauwe
click to hear 2
paars / paarse
click to hear





wit / witte
click to hear 2 3
zwart / zwarte
click to hear
bruin / bruine
click to hear
grijs / grijze
click to hear
roze (Fr.)
click to hear

schoon click to hear
schone click to hear 2 3
schoon/schone click to hear
clean
schone kleren click to hear 2 clean, 'fresh' clothes
schoonmaken click to hear 2 3 to clean
more examples
vies click to hear 2
vieze click to hear 2 3
vies/vieze click to hear 2
dirty
also: bad-tasting
vuil click to hear 2
vuile click to hear
vuil/vuile click to hear 2
dirty
Te vies om waar te zijn click to hear 2 3 [Too dirty to be true] - Impossibly dirty
een vieze lucht click to hear 2 3 a bad, unpleasant smell, a stench, a stink
De vuile was buiten hangen click to hear 2 3 [hanging the dirty laundry outside] - airing the dirty laundry (a public showing of private problems)
more examples

gemakkelijk click to hear
gemakkelijke click to hear
easy
makkelijk click to hear
makkelijke click to hear 2
easy - colloquial
(de) gemakkelijke stoel click to hear easy, lazy chair
lekker makkelijk! click to hear 2 3 conveniently, enjoyably easy, I like the ease of it (a great convenience)
more examples
moeilijk click to hear
moeilijke click to hear
difficult
Wat een moeilijk woord! click to hear Such a difficult word!
't Is moeilijk te vinden click to hear 2 3 It's hard to find
more examples

aardig click to hear 2 3
aardige click to hear 2 3
aardig / aardige click to hear 2
kind, nice, friendly

vriendelijk click to hear
vriendelijke click to hear 2
vriendelijk / vriendelijke click to hear
friendly, kind

een aardig meisje click to hear 2 a nice, kind girl
Dat is aardig van je click to hear 2 3 That's kind of you
Hij is heel slim en bovendien erg aardig click to hear 2 3 4 He's very clever and on top of that very kind, a nice person
een vriendelijk gebaar click to hear 2 a friendly, kind gesture
Met vriendelijke groet click to hear With kind regards, Yours sincerely (letter ending)
more examples - 2

blij click to hear
'glad, pleased, delighted'
'cheerful, happy, merry'
Bent U blij met Uw fiets? click to hear 2 Are you happy with your bike? (Would you recommend it?) (formal 'you')
Ik ben blij dat te horen click to hear I'm glad to hear that
more examples

boos click to hear
boze click to hear 2
boos / boze click to hear
angry
kwaad click to hear 2
kwade click to hear 2 3
angry
Waarom ben je boos? click to hear Why are you angry?
Hij is nooit lang boos click to hear 2 He's never angry for long
Ik was zò kwaad click to hear 2 I was so very angry
more examples

lekker click to hear 2 3 4
lekker / lekkere click to hear 2
'enjoyable, nice, delicious'
or simply 'good' or 'well'
lekkere koffie click to hear 'enjoyable,' good coffee - drinks
Het eten was erg lekker click to hear 2 3 4 The food was very good, I really enjoyed the food
slaap lekker! click to hear 2 sleep well! (good night, happy dreams) - sleep
more examples

warm click to hear
warme click to hear 2
warm / warme click to hear 2
warm, hot
lekker warm click to hear 2 3 pleasantly, enjoyably warm
Zelfs in de schaduw was het warm. click to hear Even in the shade it was hot.
een kopje warme chocola click to hear 2 3 a cup of hot chocolate
more examples
koud click to hear
koude click to hear
koud / koude click to hear
cold
't Is koud buiten. click to hear It's cold outside
Heb je 't koud? click to hear 2 Are you cold?
Laat je thee niet koud worden click to hear 2 3 'Don't let your tea get cold'
more examples

goed click to hear 2 3
goede click to hear
goed / goede click to hear
good // well
// right, correct
een goed begin click to hear 2 a good start
Dat is een goede vraag click to hear 2 3 That's a good question
Het gaat goed click to hear It's going well
't Begint goed click to hear 2 3 It starts well, it's off to a good start
't goede antwoord click to hear 2 the correct answer, the right answer
Als ik 't goed begrijp ... click to hear 2 3 4 If I understand it correctly
more examples - 2
slecht click to hear
slechte click to hear 2
slecht / slechte click to hear 2
bad

erg click to hear
erg / erge click to hear
bad, very bad, serious

het slechte weer click to hear bad weather
Het was slecht weer click to hear It was bad weather
een slechte gewoonte click to hear 2 a bad habit
't Is niet zo erg als het lijkt click to hear 2 It's not as bad as it looks
Ik hoop dat je het niet erg vindt click to hear I hope you don't think it's bad, I hope you don't mind
more examples
verkeerd click to hear
verkeerde click to hear 2 3
verkeerd / verkeerde click to hear 2
wrong, not correct

fout click to hear
foute click to hear
fout / foute click to hear 2 3
wrong, incorrect, mistaken

Heb ik iets verkeerd gedaan? click to hear 2 Have I done something wrong?
de verkeerde oplossing click to hear 2 the wrong solution (to a problem)
koffie verkeerd click to hear ['coffee the wrong way'] café au lait, drip coffee with a lot of milk ->>
Wat heb ik fout gedaan? click to hear 2 3 What have I done wrong? What mistake have I made?
'n fout antwoord click to hear 2 A wrong answer, an incorrect answer
foute boel! click to hear 2 There's something (very) wrong here (slang)
more examples

heel click to hear 2 3
very

erg
click to hear
very

Het houten huis is heel oud click to
   hear The wooden house is very old
Ik vind het heel raar click to hear 2 I think it's very strange
Hij speelt heel goed gitaar click to hear 2 3 He plays the guitar very well
Ik ben erg moe click to hear 2 I'm very tired
Heb je je erg verveeld? click to hear 2 Were you very bored? Was it really boring?
't Was erg gezellig click to hear It was really pleasant, we/I enjoyed it very much ‑>>
't Spijt me heel erg click to hear 2 3 I'm [very very] really very sorry
more 'heel'  examples - more 'erg'  examples

veel click to hear 2 3
much // many
Ik heb jullie veel woorden gegeven click to hear 2 I have given you guys many words
We hebben veel regen click to hear 2 We're having a lot of rain
Er staat veel op het spel click to hear There is much [at play] at stake
Te veel mensen met te veel geld click to hear 2 Too many people with too much money
more examples
meer click to hear
more
Ik heb meer tijd nodig click to hear 2 I need more time
Heb je niet meer voorbeelden? click to hear 2 Don't you have more examples?
more examples
meest click to hear
meeste click to hear
most
Wat is het meeste werk? click to hear 2 3 What is the most work?
De mens lijdt het meest van het lijden dat-ie  vreest click to hear  'Man suffers most from the suffering he fears'
more examples
weinig click to hear 2 3 4
little // few

niet veel click to hear 2
not much // not many

Er is weinig tijd click to hear 2 3 There is little time
Er zijn weinig walvissen over click to hear There are few whales left
Hoe weinig we weten click to hear 2 How little we know (We don't know much)
't Is niet veel click to hear 2 3 It's not much
more examples
minder click to hear
less, fewer
Minder werk voor minder mensen click to hear 2 Less work for fewer people
Minder vloeken click to hear Curse less (a resolution)
Dat is een zorg minder click to hear 2 3 4 That's one less worry - something we don't have to worry about anymore
't Is al minder erg click to hear 2 3 [It's already less bad] - It's not as bad as it was (pain etc.)
more examples
minst click to hear
minste click to hear 2
least, fewest
de minst slechte ... click to hear 2 3 the least bad ...
De weg van de minste weerstand kiezen click to hear 2 3 Choose the [way, road] line of least resistance, the easiest way
more examples

oud click to hear 2
oude click to hear 2
oud/oude click to hear
old
Ik word oud click to hear 2 I'm getting old
Op m'n oude dag click to hear 2 in my old [day] age
more examples
jong click to hear
jonge click to hear 2 3
jong/jonge click to hear 2
young
een jonge hond click to hear 2 a young dog
Als ik wat jonger was ... click to hear 2 If I were a little younger ...
more examples
nieuw click to hear
nieuwe click to hear 2
nieuw/nieuwe click to hear 2
new
Ik heb een nieuwe fiets gekocht click to hear I've bought a new bicycle
iets nieuws click to hear something new
Probeer eens wat nieuws click to hear Try something new for a change
more examples
vers click to hear 2
verse click to hear 2
vers/verse click to hear 2 3
fresh, new
fris click to hear 2
fris/frisse click to hear
fresh, refreshing
(de) verse groente click to hear 'fresh vegetables' (not from a can or a jar, not frozen)
"Vers brood is altijd lekker" click to hear 2 Fresh bread is always [tasty] good
een frisse neus halen click to hear getting [a fresh nose] some fresh air
more examples

duur click to hear
dure click to hear 2
duur / dure click to hear 2
expensive
Hoe duur is 't? click to hear 2 3 [How expensive is it?] - What's the price? How much does it cost?
Het is te duur click to hear It's too expensive
veel te duur click to hear 2 [much] way too expensive
more examples
goedkoop click to hear 2
goedkope click to hear 2 3
goedkoop / goedkope click to hear
cheap, inexpensive
een goedkope fiets click to hear 2 a cheap bike, an inexpensive bicycle
niet echt goedkoop click to hear 2 3 not really cheap
more examples

sterk click to hear
sterke click to hear 2 3
sterk / sterke click to hear
strong
een sterke persoonlijkheid click to hear 2 3 a strong personality, character
sterke koffie click to hear 2 3 strong coffee
sterke werkwoorden click to hear 2 strong verbs ‑>>
more examples
zwak click to hear 2
zwakke click to hear 2
zwak / zwakke click to hear 2 3
weak
slap click to hear
slappe click to hear
weak, feeble, limp
zwakke enkels click to hear 2 weak ankles
zwakke werkwoorden click to hear 2 3 weak verbs ‑>>
slappe thee click to hear 2 weak tea
de slappe lach click to hear 2 3 an uncontrollable fit of laughter or giggling
more examples

ander click to hear
ander/andere click to hear 2 3
other, different

verschillend click to hear
verschillende click to hear 2
different, various, several

't Was een andere tijd click to hear 2 3 It was a different time, things were different then
Dat is een ander verhaal click to hear 2 That's another story
vier kaarten van verschillende kleuren click to hear 2 Four cards of different [colors] suits
verschillende keren click to hear 2 3 4 several times, "at different times"
more examples
hetzelfde click to hear
dezelfde click to hear
the same
't Is toch overal hetzelfde click to hear 2 It's the same everywhere (anyway)
drie kaarten van dezelfde kleur click to hear 2 Three cards of the same [color] suit ->>
more examples

'Basic' Dutch Adjectives and Adverbs

lang click to hear 2 3
langer click to hear
langst
click to hear 2

meer click to hear 2
meest click to hear
goed click to hear
beter click to hear
best click to hear
click to hear

Comparative and Superlative Degrees

Flashcards Adjectives and Adverbs Exercises:
Vocabulary: What's the Dutch Word?
      (Old Version: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4)
Listening
Opposites, Antonyms, Tegenovergestelden

email - Copyright © Marco Schuffelen 2023. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed, or hotlinked to.
Gij zult niet stelen click to hear 'Thou shalt not steal'