Indefinite mass and plural adjectives

Adjectives with mass nouns

Many agricultural products and raw materials are "mass nouns"—uncountable substances like oil, iron, or sand. When describing an indefinite mass noun (like "clean oil" instead of "the clean oil"), the adjective must agree with the noun's gender.

For common gender (en) mass nouns, the adjective stays in its basic dictionary form.

We need clean oil.
Vi har brug for ren olie.

For neuter gender (et) mass nouns, add a -t to the adjective.

The craftsman is working with hot iron today.
Håndværkeren arbejder med varmt jern i dag.
The boy has built the castle with wet sand.
Drengen har bygget slottet med vådt sand.

This pattern applies to all uncountable goods, such as hvede (wheat, common gender) and kul (coal, neuter gender).

We find it easy to find good wheat.
Vi har let ved at finde god hvede.
The machine needs black coal.
Maskinen har brug for sort kul.

Adjectives with plural nouns

When describing countable produce in the plural, the rule is even simpler. Indefinite plural adjectives almost always take an -e ending, regardless of the noun's gender.

We always buy green beans.
Vi køber altid grønne bønner.
The woman sells expensive crops.
Kvinden sælger dyre afgrøder.
Practice this lesson