Describe a person or thing
An adjective describes someone or something. After , use its basic form without an ending: , , . The describing word stays the same with masculine, feminine, neuter and plural nouns.
| Thing | Description | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| is yellow | ||
| is yellow | ||
| is red | ||
| is red | ||
| is green | ||
| is green | ||
| are old | ||
| are old | ||
Say how much
Put before a description to mean very: . Put before the description to negate it: . Two descriptions can be joined with : . Remember to change for the subject, even though the describing word has no ending.
Recognise a description before a noun
In the scene you also hear and . Before a noun, German adjectives take an ending. Learn these complete phrases for recognition here. The exercises in this unit practise the basic description after ; you do not need a full adjective-ending system to describe your room.
Mein Sofa ist groß und gelb.My sofa is big and yellow.
Deine Lampe ist klein und grün.Your lamp is small and green.
Die Tür ist nicht groß.The door is not big.
Practice 1/5 · Finding words
Notice the useful forms
Tap the describing words.
.
The flat is small.
.
My wardrobe is old.
.
The sofa is big and yellow.
.
The lamp is red.
Practice 2/5 · The right form
The description stays in its basic form
Choose the right word for the gap.
Die Lampe ist .
The lamp is green.
Das Sofa ist .
The sofa is yellow.
Der Kleiderschrank ist .
The wardrobe is old.
Die Wohnung ist .
The flat is small.
Die Stühle groß.
The chairs are big.
Mein Bett nicht klein.
My bed is not small.
Tell the two lamps apart
Choose the right word for the gap.
Die Lampe von Jonas ist klein und .
Jonas’s lamp is small and green.
Die Lampe im Badezimmer ist .
The lamp in the bathroom is red.
Das Sofa im Badezimmer ist groß und .
The sofa in the bathroom is big and yellow.
Das Fenster ist .
The window is small.
Practice 3/5 · Fill the gaps
Complete the conversation
Fill the gaps with the words from the box.
Das Sofa groß. Die Tür klein.
The sofa is big. The door is small.
Meine Lampe ist . Die Lampe hier ist .
My lamp is green. The lamp here is red.
Die Wohnung ist , aber das Sofa ist .
The flat is small, but the sofa is big.
Der Kleiderschrank ist neu. Er ist .
The wardrobe is not new. It is old.
Practice 4/5 · Building sentences
Put the message together
Put the words in order.
My sofa is yellow.
The door is not big.
The suitcase is small and green.
Are the chairs old?
Practice 5/5 · In situations
Respond to the situation
Choose the right words for the situation.
Jonas wonders whether the red lamp is his. He says his own lamp is small and green. You point out the difference.
You say:
The colour tells the lamps apart; after sein use rot without an ending.
Jonas wonders whether the red lamp is his. He says his own lamp is small and green. You point out the difference.
You say:
The colour tells the lamps apart; after sein use rot without an ending.
Jonas wants to move the sofa through the door. The sofa is big, and you point out the problem.
You say:
The size of the door explains the problem.
Jonas wants to move the sofa through the door. The sofa is big, and you point out the problem.
You say:
The size of the door explains the problem.
Unit complete
