German adjectives help you describe people, objects, places, plans, feelings, and opinions. To use them well, pay attention to one key difference: after sein the adjective stays simple, but before a noun it usually needs an ending.
Opinions and general descriptions
Use these adjectives when you talk about classes, books, plans, shopping, food, and everyday situations.
- – Good
- – Bad
- – Beautiful/nice
- – Ugly
- – Easy
- – Difficult
- – Important
- – Interesting
- Nützlich – Useful
- Richtig – Correct
- Falsch – Wrong/incorrect
- Langweilig – Boring
Examples:
- Das Buch ist interessant, aber ein bisschen schwierig. (The book is interesting, but a little difficult.)
- Das ist eine gute Idee. (That is a good idea.)
- Die Antwort ist richtig, aber die Frage ist schwierig. (The answer is correct, but the question is difficult.)
Size, shape, and dimensions
Use these adjectives to describe rooms, streets, clothes, buildings, objects, and spaces.
- – Big/large
- – Small
- – Long
- – Short
- Hoch – High/tall
- Niedrig – Low
- Breit – Wide
- Eng – Narrow/tight
- Schwer – Heavy
- Leicht – Light
Examples:
- Ich brauche einen kleinen Tisch für mein Zimmer. (I need a small table for my room.)
- Diese Straße ist eng, aber die Allee ist breit. (This street is narrow, but the avenue is wide.)
- Der Koffer ist schwer, aber die Tasche ist leicht. (The suitcase is heavy, but the bag is light.)
Condition and everyday use
These adjectives help you talk about places, objects, food, transport, and things you use every day.
- – New
- – Old
- – Clean
- – Dirty
- – Full
- – Empty
- Offen – Open
- Geschlossen – Closed
- Sicher – Safe
- Bequem – Comfortable
- Billig – Cheap
Examples:
- Das Zimmer ist sauber und leer. (The room is clean and empty.)
- Das Restaurant ist heute geschlossen. (The restaurant is closed today.)
- Das ist ein sicherer und bequemer Ort. (That is a safe and comfortable place.)
Temperature, speed, and strength
This group helps you describe weather, drinks, transport, objects, and performance.
- – Hot
- – Cold
- – Fast
- – Slow
- Stark – Strong
- Schwach – Weak
- Klar – Clear
- Dunkel – Dark
Examples:
- Der Kaffee ist heiß. (The coffee is hot.)
- Der Zug ist morgens schnell. (The train is fast in the morning.)
- Das Zimmer ist dunkel, aber die Erklärung ist klar. (The room is dark, but the explanation is clear.)
People, feelings, and personality
Use these adjectives to describe how someone feels or what someone is like in a simple situation.
- – Happy
- – Sad
- – Tired
- – Busy
- – Ready
- – Friendly/kind
- – Calm/quiet
- – Funny/fun
- Jung – Young
- Älter – Older
- Nervös – Nervous
- Krank – Sick
- Besorgt – Worried
- Aufgeregt – Excited/nervous
- Nett – Nice/likeable
Examples:
- Ich bin nach der Arbeit müde. (I am tired after work.)
- Sie ist zu allen freundlich. (She is friendly to everyone.)
- Mein Freund ist wegen der Prüfung besorgt. (My friend is worried about the exam.)
Where the adjective goes in German
After the verb sein, the adjective does not change form. This is the simplest pattern to start with.
- Das Zimmer ist sauber – The room is clean
- Der Kaffee ist heiß – The coffee is hot
- Ich bin bereit – I am ready
Before a noun, the adjective usually needs an ending. The ending depends on the article and the noun.
- Ein guter Kaffee – A good coffee
- Eine kleine Tasche – A small bag
- Ein neues Buch – A new book
Note: In German, memorizing gut, klein, or neu is not enough. Before a noun, you will often see forms like guter, kleine, or neues.
How German adjectives change
To start, learn the forms with ein/eine/ein in the nominative case. They are common and useful for simple descriptions.
- Ein guter Kaffee – A good coffee
- Eine gute Idee – A good idea
- Ein gutes Buch – A good book
With der/die/das, the basic singular adjective often ends in -e.
- Der gute Kaffee – The good coffee
- Die kleine Tasche – The small bag
- Das neue Buch – The new book
In the plural with die, a very common adjective ending is -en.
- Die guten Ideen – The good ideas
- Die kleinen Taschen – The small bags
- Die neuen Bücher – The new books
Common mistakes
Changing the adjective after sein
After sein, the adjective does not need an ending.
- Das Zimmer ist sauber – The room is clean
- Das Zimmer ist saubere – Incorrect form
Forgetting the ending before a noun
Before a noun, the adjective normally needs an ending.
- Eine kleine Tasche – A small bag
- Eine klein Tasche – Incorrect form
Using the same form for der, die, and das
With ein/eine/ein, the ending changes with the noun gender.
- Ein guter Kaffee – A good coffee
- Eine gute Idee – A good idea
- Ein gutes Buch – A good book
Confusing nett and freundlich
Nett usually describes someone nice or likeable. Freundlich highlights friendly or polite behavior.
- Er ist sehr nett – He is very nice
- Sie ist freundlich zu allen – She is friendly to everyone
Choose five real things around your home, work, or city and describe them in German: ein neues Buch, eine kleine Tasche, ein heißer Kaffee, ein sicherer Ort, and ein interessantes Thema. This helps you practice vocabulary, position, and endings at the same time.