Multiplicative suffixes (-fach, -malig)

Counting Repetitions: Suffixes for Frequency and Multiplication

In product testing and quality control, it is rarely enough to do something just once. When you need to express how often a procedure is repeated, or multiply an action, German uses specific suffixes attached to numbers or quantity words like mehr (more) or viel (much/many).

Frequency: -mals and -malig

To express how often an action happens, German uses adverbs like mehrmals (several times). Because it is an adverb modifying a verb, its form never changes.

To turn a frequency concept into an adjective that describes a noun directly (like a "one-time" event), use the suffix -malig, as in einmalig. Like all adjectives placed before a noun, it must take standard adjective endings based on gender, case, and number.

Multiplication: The Suffix -fach

To describe something as twofold, threefold, or multiple, German uses the suffix -fach. Think of it as the direct equivalent to the English suffix "-fold."

Unlike the frequency words above, words ending in -fach are highly flexible. You can use them as adverbs (modifying the verb, taking no ending) to describe how something is done:

Or, you can use them as adjectives (modifying a noun) to describe the thing itself. When used this way, they require regular adjective endings:

You can attach -fach to exact numbers like zwei (two) or zehn (ten) to specify exact multiples:

Alternatively, you can attach -fach to indefinite quantities like mehr (multiple) or viel (manifold) to emphasize rigorous, repeated testing without providing an exact number. Again, these can be used as uninflected adverbs or inflected adjectives:

Let's look at a final example that brings both -malig and -fach together. Notice how both suffixes are acting as adjectives here, taking the appropriate endings for a neuter subject and a masculine direct object: