In German, you can easily create new adjectives and adverbs from nouns or verbs by adding specific suffixes. Two of the most common suffixes for describing behaviors, traits, and styles are -haft and -mäßig.
The Suffix -haft
The suffix -haft expresses that someone or something has the qualities or nature of the root word. It often translates to the English endings "-like", "-ous", or "-ic". It is frequently used to describe a person's behavior, a mood, or an appearance.
Building with -mäßig
The suffix -mäßig comes from the noun das Maß (the measure or standard). It means "according to" or "in the manner of", and often translates to English as "-ly", "-wise", or "by...".
To see how it works, let's first look at the noun der Zweck (the purpose).
When we combine Zweck with -mäßig, we get the adjective zweckmäßig, which literally means "according to the purpose"—or, more naturally, "functional" or "practical".
Adverbs of Manner and Routine
Because -mäßig describes how something is done or measured, it is incredibly useful for turning nouns into adverbs that describe habits, defaults, or feelings.
