Dutch Adjective Endings: When Do You Add -e?
Recognize the major attributive adjective patterns after de, het and een.
NL008 · NL · A1 / A2 · grammar
The question
Why do we say een mooi huis but het mooie huis?
Dutch adjectives immediately before nouns usually take -e: de mooie stad (the beautiful city), het mooie huis (the beautiful house). A common exception is a singular indefinite het-word: een mooi huis (a beautiful house). Adjectives after a linking verb usually have no attributive -e: Het huis is mooi.
Compare article patterns
| Noun phrase | Example | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Definite de-word | de mooie tuin | Attributive adjective takes -e. |
| Indefinite de-word | een mooie tuin | Attributive adjective takes -e. |
| Definite het-word | het mooie huis | Attributive adjective takes -e. |
| Indefinite het-word | een mooi huis | Common exception: no -e. |
| Plural | mooie huizen | Plural attributive adjective takes -e. |
The same exception can apply without an article when a singular neuter noun is indefinite: mooi weer (nice weather). Some adjectives have irregular forms or spelling changes when -e is added: groot → grote, lief → lieve. Other categories, such as materials and certain fixed expressions, need separate treatment.
Common mistake
Avoid *een mooie huis in the ordinary indefinite singular construction: say een mooi huis. But after the definite article say het mooie huis.
Remember
Attributive adjectives usually take -e, except notably with indefinite singular het-words; predicate adjectives stay uninflected.