What is a predicate adjective?
A predicate adjective describes the subject via a linking verb (sein = to be, werden = to become, bleiben = to stay/remain). It never changes its form — no endings are added.
Der Mann ist alt. (The man is old.) Die Frau ist jung. (The woman is young.) Das Kind ist müde. (The child is tired.)
The adjective alt, jung, müde is the same regardless of gender or number.
Common predicate adjectives
| German | English |
|---|---|
| groß | big, tall |
| klein | small |
| alt | old |
| jung | young |
| neu | new |
| schön | beautiful, nice |
| hässlich | ugly |
| gut | good |
| schlecht | bad |
| müde | tired |
| hungrig | hungry |
| krank | sick |
| glücklich | happy |
| traurig | sad |
| interessant | interesting |
| langweilig | boring |
| schnell | fast |
| langsam | slow |
Examples with different genders
All three sentences use the same adjective form:
| Subject | Sentence | Note |
|---|---|---|
| der Hund (m) | Der Hund ist groß. | no ending |
| die Katze (f) | Die Katze ist groß. | no ending |
| das Haus (n) | Das Haus ist groß. | no ending |
| die Tiere (pl) | Die Tiere sind groß. | no ending |
werden and bleiben
| Example | |
|---|---|
| werden (become) | Es wird kalt. (It is getting cold.) |
| bleiben (remain) | Bleib ruhig! (Stay calm!) |
Real world: weather forecasts and news
German weather apps and forecasts rely entirely on predicate adjectives: „Das Wetter ist sonnig." (The weather is sunny.) „Es wird kalt." (It is getting cold.) „Die Temperaturen bleiben stabil." (Temperatures remain stable.) — three different linking verbs, no adjective endings.
Real world: product reviews and online ratings
German product reviews are full of predicate adjectives: „Das Handy ist schnell und zuverlässig." (The phone is fast and reliable.) „Die Lieferung war pünktlich." (The delivery was on time.) „Die Verpackung ist umweltfreundlich." — describing qualities without needing to worry about endings.
Real world: exclamations and conversations
Everyday German speech uses predicate adjectives constantly: „Bist du müde?" — „Ja, ich bin total erschöpft!" (Yes, I'm totally exhausted!) „Das Essen ist lecker!" (The food is delicious!) — quick, expressive adjectives after sein, unchanged.
Quick rule: If the adjective comes after sein, werden, or bleiben, it never changes form. You can say Das Buch ist gut and Die Schule ist gut and Der Tag ist gut — all the same form gut, regardless of gender.
Practice Problems
Correct or wrong? Die Schule ist schöne.
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Translate: The book is interesting.
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Translate: She is happy.
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Fill in: Das Kind wird ____. (krank)