TOPIC · Adjectives (Adjektive)

How to transform nouns into adjectives

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After this lesson you can use common German suffixes like -ig, -lich, -isch, -haft, -los, -arm, -frei and -reich to turn German nouns into adjectives and use them correctly in sentences.

In this lesson you learn how to form German adjectives from German nouns (Substantive). This helps you describe things more precisely, for example from „der Traum“ you get „traumhaft“.

1Overview

Many German adjectives are formed by adding a suffix to a noun: „das Fett“ → „fettarm“, „die Nation“ → „national“. The basic meaning of the noun stays, the suffix modifies it.

Important: The adjective is written with a lowercase initial and is declined with the noun: „ein traumhafter Film“, „eine traumhafte Reise“, „mit traumhaften Aussichten“.

2Key suffixes

2.1 Table of frequent suffixes

Suffix	Example 1	Example 2	Meaning (short explanation)
-ig	die Farbe → farbig	der Wind → windig	has this property
-lich	der Monat → monatlich	die Pflicht → pflichtlich	belonging to / type of
-isch	die Nation → national	die Methode → methodisch	kind, style, relation
-haft	der Traum → traumhaft	der Fehler → fehlerhaft	typical feature, often emotional
-los	die Arbeit → arbeitslos	die Hoffnung → hoffnungslos	without something
-sam	die Gefahr → gefahrtsam	die Mühe → mühsam	tendency or characteristic way
-bar	der Nutzen → nutzbar	die Lösung → lösbar	possible, can be done
-arm	das Fett → fettarm	der Zucker → zuckerarm	little of something
-frei	das Fett → fettfrei	der Rauch → rauchfrei	completely without something
-reich	der Erfolg → erfolgreich	die Idee → ideenreich	a lot of something

Note: Not every noun works with every suffix; many forms are fixed and must be learned or checked in a dictionary.

3Examples in sentences

3.1 Suffix -ig

„Die Suppe ist sehr salzig.“ (from „das Salz“ – the soup is very salty.)
„Heute ist es sehr windig.“ (from „der Wind“ – it is very windy today.)

“-ig” often shows a permanent or typical property.

3.2 Suffix -lich

„Ich bezahle die Miete monatlich.“ (from „der Monat“ – I pay the rent monthly.)
„Es ist nicht freiwillig, sondern pflichtlich.“ (from „die Pflicht“ – it is obligatory, not voluntary.)

“-lich” can express belonging, regularity, or manner.

3.3 Suffix -isch / -haft

„Sie arbeitet sehr methodisch.“ (from „die Methode“ – she works in a very methodical way.)
„Wir hatten einen traumhaften Urlaub.“ (from „der Traum“ – we had a wonderful, dream-like holiday.)

“-isch” often describes style or manner; “-haft” often sounds emotional or evaluative.

3.4 Suffixes for “much” and “little”

„Er ernährt sich fettarm.“ (from „das Fett“ – he follows a low-fat diet.)
„Diese Suppe ist fettfrei.“ (the soup is fat-free.)
„Das Buch ist sehr informationsreich.“ (from „die Information“ – the book is very rich in information.)

“-arm” and “-frei” indicate lack or absence; “-reich” expresses abundance.

4Mini strategy for practice

Find the base noun: „Information“.
Choose a suffix: „-reich“.
Form the adjective: „informationsreich“.
Put it into a sentence: „Der Artikel ist sehr informationsreich.“ (The article is very rich in information.)

In this way you can systematically create and remember new German adjectives from nouns.