Adjective modifiers (heel, erg, te)

Adjectives After the Verb

When an adjective comes after a verb like zijn (to be), it is called a "predicative" adjective. In Dutch, these adjectives do not change their form. You do not need to add any special endings, whether the noun is singular, plural, a de word, or a het word.

The weather is beautiful.
Het weer is mooi.
The water is cold.
Het water is koud.

Saying "Very": heel and erg

To express the degree of an adjective, place a modifier directly before it.

To say "very," you can use either heel or erg. In most situations, they are completely interchangeable.

The mountains are very beautiful.
De bergen zijn heel mooi.
The weather is very cold today.
Het weer is vandaag erg koud.
The woman is very angry.
De vrouw is erg boos.

Saying "Too": te

When a quality is excessive, use the modifier te (too). Just like in English, it goes right before the adjective.

The coat is too warm.
De jas is te warm.
The cats are too scared.
De katten zijn te bang.

Softening with een beetje

To soften a description, use een beetje (a bit). This is especially common when describing feelings or negative emotions.

The teacher is a bit angry.
De docent is een beetje boos.