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  2. 6 Adjectives

Adjectives show attributes, qualities, belonging, relationships, and so forth. Adjectives have an A-ending in Esperanto:

  • longa - long = having much length
  • ruĝa - red = having redness as a property
  • bona - good = characterized by goodness
  • inteligenta - intelligent = having intelligence, characterized by intelligence
  • homa - human = related to humans
  • malaperinta - disappeared = such that it has already disappeared

Possessive pronouns and ordinal numerals are also adjectives, but in these words, the A-ending has a special meaning.

A J-ending and an accusative N-ending can be used after an A-ending. Both can also be used together, though always with J before N:

longaj longan longajn
ruĝaj ruĝan ruĝajn
miaj mian miajn
sesaj sesan sesajn

For comparisons, adjectives can be used together with the particles pli (more) and plej (most).

Use of adjectives

Adjectives are mainly used to describe nouns.

Epithetic adjectives

Adjectives can act as epithets for nouns (adjectives that directly describe something). Epithetic adjectives are most frequently found before the noun, but they can also be used after it. Adjectives may even be used both before and after the same noun:

  • granda domo - a large house
  • domo granda - a large house (emphasis on large)
  • la tago longa - the long day (emphasis on long)
  • la longa tago - the long day
  • fama Franca verkisto - a famous French writer
  • fama verkisto Franca - a famous French writer (emphasis on French)
  • Lingvo Internacia (la origina nomo de Esperanto) - International Language (the original name of Esperanto)

An epithetic adjective, used after its noun, is often used for emphasis:

Predicate adjectives

An adjective can also describe something predicative, by means of a verb:

  • La domo estas granda. - The house is large.

    Granda (large) describes the noun domo (house) by means of the verb estas (is).

  • Tiuj ĉi verkistoj iam iĝos famaj. These writers will become famous one day.

    Famaj (famous) describes the noun verkistoj (writers) by means of the verb iĝos (will become).

  • Mi farbis mian domon blanka. I painted my house white.

    Blanka (white) describes the noun domon (house) by means of the verb farbis (painted).

Descriptions of other words

Adjectives are also used to describe substantival particles, for example, personal pronouns, normally predicatively:

  • Mi estas feliĉa. - I am happy.
  • Tiu estas mia. - That one is mine.
  • Tio estas bona. - That is good.
  • Ili fariĝis koleraj. - They became angry.
  • Ambaŭ ŝajnis dormantaj. Both seemed to be sleeping.

Adjectives used as nouns

When an adjective is used as an epithet of a noun, the noun is sometimes left out. In those cases, the adjective itself takes on the role of a noun. This is possible when the context clearly shows which noun should be understood:

  • La palaco de la imperiestro estis la plej belega [palaco] en la mondo.

    The emperor's palace was the most beautiful [palace] in the world.

  • Mi ne volas tiun ĉi supon, donu al mi alian [supon].

    I don't want this soup, give me another [soup].

  • Tro malmultaj [homoj/aŭskultantoj] venis.

    Too few [people/listeners] came.

  • Kelkaj [personoj] el ni alvenis malfrue.

    Some of us [people] arrived late.

  • Ni ambaŭ volas la saman [aferon]. (Aŭ: Ni ambaŭ volas la samon.)

    We both want the same [thing]. (Or: We both want the same.)

  • Vi estas la unuaj [personoj], kiujn mi vidas hodiaŭ matene.

    You are the first [people] that I've seen this morning.

  • Via pano estas malpli freŝa, ol mia [pano].

    Your bread is less fresh than mine [my bread].

  • Estas nun la dua [horo].

    It is now two [o'clock].

  • Mi parolas la Francan [lingvon].

    I speak [the] French [language].

Adjectival particles

Some of the particles used in Esperanto can be used like adjectives in a sentence, but they don't have the A-ending. These are the table words in A, U, and ES, the word ambaŭ, and the numerals.

  • Tiun straton mi neniam vidis antaŭe.

    I never saw that street before.

  • Mi korektis ambaŭ erarojn.

    I corrected both errors.

  • Tie loĝas du Hungaroj kaj tri Kanadanoj.

    Two Hungarians and three Canadians live there.

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