A2 · The adjective
Where the adjective stands
Your one position is the marked one here.
The rule is short: the adjective goes after the noun. Uma casa grande, um carro velho, uma pergunta difícil. Every single adjective in every English sentence therefore has to change sides, which is less a rule to learn than a reflex to reverse.
In front stands a small group of very frequent words: bom, mau, grande, pequeno, novo, velho, último, próximo, mesmo.
With some of them the position changes the meaning. Um homem grande is physically large, um grande homem is important. Um amigo velho is old in years, um velho amigo is a friend of long standing — a distinction English makes with two different words, « an old friend » being ambiguous in exactly the same way.
In front an adjective sounds like a judgement, behind it like a description. That is the rule of thumb, and it holds even where no fixed pair exists.
Die Form
| a large house | uma casa grande |
| a great house | uma grande casa |
| a large man | um homem grande |
| a great man | um grande homem |
| an elderly friend | um amigo velho |
| a friend of long standing | um velho amigo |
Die Regeln im Einzelnen
The basic position is after the noun.
É uma pergunta difícil.That is a difficult question.
A small group stands in front.
Foi um bom dia.It was a good day.
With some, the meaning changes with the position.
É um velho amigo meu.He is an old friend of mine.
In front it judges, behind it describes.
Comprei um carro novo.I bought a new car.
Woran man es erkennt
- bom
- mau
- grande
- novo
- velho
- último
Beispielsätze
Foi um bom jantar.It was a good dinner.
É uma casa velha mas bonita.It is an old but beautiful house.
Na próxima semana estou de férias.I am on holiday next week.
Apanhei o último comboio.I caught the last train.
Die typisch deutsche Falle
Aufgepasst
Put every adjective in front, as English does, and you write a string of judgements. Um difícil problema is not badly built; it sounds lofty, almost solemn, and what was meant was um problema difícil — a difficult problem. With a colour or a material the effect is worse still, because those never take the front position at all: um vermelho carro reads as poetry gone wrong.
Behind describes, in front judges.
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