Invariable Adjectives
In Dutch, adjectives placed directly in front of a noun usually get an -e ending. However, some adjectives are invariable and never change form, regardless of the noun's gender or article.
This applies to many modern loanwords and adjectives ending in a vowel (like -a, -o, -i, or -y).
| We are handing out a retro keychain. | We zijn een retro sleutelhanger aan het uitdelen. |
| The client wants a trendy promotional gift with a logo. | De klant wil een trendy relatiegeschenk met een logo. |
Notice how the regular adjective (mooie) takes its usual -e ending, but the invariable color (kaki) does not:
| Yesterday we ordered beautiful khaki T-shirts. | Gisteren hebben we mooie kaki T-shirts besteld. |
Colors and Styles
Words like blanco (blank), uniseks (unisex), and lila (lilac) follow the exact same pattern.
| They are giving away a blank mug without an imprint. | Zij geven een blanco mok zonder opdruk weg. |
| This unisex clothing is quite cheap. | Deze uniseks kleding is tamelijk goedkoop. |
Even when used with definite articles (de or het)—where you would normally expect an -e ending on a standard adjective—invariable adjectives stand their ground.
| Are we choosing the khaki bag or the lilac bag? | Kiezen we de kaki tas of de lila tas? |
| The pink logo fits perfectly on the blank mug. | Het roze logo past perfect op de blanco mok. |
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