Adjectives ending in -el, -en, and -er
In Danish, adjectives in the plural or definite form usually add an -e to the end of the word.
However, adjectives ending in unstressed -el, -en, or -er drop the e from their ending before adding the new -e.
For example, an adjective ending in -el like simpel (simple) drops its inner 'e' to become simple (rather than "simpele").
Notice the difference between the basic singular form and the plural form:
| Although the solution was simple, it worked well. | Selvom løsningen var simpel, fungerede den godt. |
| The simple rules are easy to understand. | De simple regler er nemme at forstå. |
Adjectives ending in -en
The same rule applies to adjectives ending in -en. For example, moden (mature/ripe) becomes modne, and erfaren (experienced) becomes erfarne.
| The ripe bananas are perfect for the cake. | De modne bananer er perfekte til kagen. |
| We only hire experienced nurses at the hospital. | Vi ansætter kun erfarne sygeplejersker på hospitalet. |
Adjectives ending in -er
Adjectives ending in -er, such as dyster (gloomy) and munter (cheerful), drop the 'e' before the 'r' to become dystre and muntre.
Here is dyster in its basic singular form:
| Although the film is gloomy, it is very good. | Selvom filmen er dyster, er den meget god. |
And here is how it changes when describing a plural noun:
| The dark forests look gloomy in the winter. | De mørke skove ser dystre ud om vinteren. |
| The cheerful girls sang a song. | De muntre piger sang en sang. |
Double Consonants
If an adjective has a double consonant, Danish spelling simplifies it to a single consonant when the 'e' drops.
For example, ussel (wretched) becomes usle (not "ussle"), and rådden (rotten) becomes rådne.
| The wretched thief fled out of the window. | Den usle tyv flygtede ud af vinduet. |
| There are some rotten apples in the basket. | Der er nogle rådne æbler i kurven. |
