CONTENT
  1. Forming Adjectives With Prefixes and Suffixes

In German, like in many other languages, prefixes and suffixes are commonly used to form new adjectives. These affixes can change the meaning of the base word and create a new word with a different meaning.

For example, "un-" (meaning "not"):

German

English

unmöglich

impossible

unhöflich

impolite

Forming Adjectives With Prefixes and Suffixes

In German, we form adjectives from many nouns, verbs, and other adjectives with the help of prefixes and suffixes.

Rule 1: The prefixes "in-," "des-," and "un-" form the opposite of some adjectives.

German

English

erwartet

expected

unerwartet

unexpected

Rule 2: With the endings "-lich" and "-bar," we express that something is possible by forming an adjective from a verb.

German

English

lösen

to solve

lösbar

solvable

Rule 3: The endings "-ig," "-isch," "-los," "-sam," "-voll," "-haft" form adjectives out of nouns.

German

English

der Schmutz

the dirt

schmutzig

dirty

Quiz

1/3

Determine the adjective with the correct prefix: Der neue Nachbar ist sehr ___.

0

correct answers.