When an adjective (a describing word) gets _-e_, its spelling sometimes changes: _groot_ becomes _grote_, _dik_ becomes _dikke_ and _lief_ becomes _lieve_. Most changes follow the same open and closed syllable rules as plurals (does the syllable end in a vowel or a consonant?), and _f_ and _s_ often turn into _v_ and _z_. Adjectives ending in an unstressed _-en_ (said weakly, as in _open_) do not change at all.
The pattern
When you add _-e_, keep the vowel sound the same. Write _aa_, _ee_, _oo_ or _uu_ with one letter if its syllable becomes open, and double a consonant only when it is the single consonant after a short stressed vowel.
- Long vowel that ends up at the end of a syllable: _groot_, _grote_; _laag_, _lage_; _geel_, _gele_; _duur_, _dure_.
- Short stressed vowel plus one consonant: _dik_, _dikke_; _wit_, _witte_; _snel_, _snelle_.
- Two or more consonants at the end: no doubling, and the vowel keeps its spelling: _zacht_, _zachte_; _sterk_, _sterke_; _paars_, _paarse_.
- Directly after a long vowel, _ie_ or _ij_, _f_ usually becomes _v_ and _s_ usually becomes _z_: _lief_, _lieve_; _vies_, _vieze_; _boos_, _boze_; _actief_, _actieve_.
- Unstressed _-en_: no _-e_ and no change: _open_, _eigen_, _gouden_, _houten_, _tevreden_.
- Many others simply add _-e_: _mooi_, _mooie_; _aardig_, _aardige_.
Examples
| Sanne woont in een grote stad. | Sanne lives in a big city. |
|---|---|
| Daan draagt een dikke jas. | Daan is wearing a thick coat. |
| Joris koopt de witte fiets. | Joris is buying the white bike. |
| Wat een lieve buurvrouw! | What a sweet neighbour! |
| Lotte, je hebt vieze schoenen aan. | Lotte, you're wearing dirty shoes. |
| Wat een grijze dag vandaag! | What a grey day today! |
| Ahmed koopt paarse sokken. | Ahmed is buying purple socks. |
| We hebben de aardige buren uitgenodigd. | We have invited the nice neighbours. |
| Mei zit bij het open raam. | Mei is sitting by the open window. |
| Carlos heeft een gouden ring gekocht. | Carlos has bought a gold ring. |
Why it works this way
Dutch spelling shows vowel length through syllables. In _groot_ the syllable is closed (it ends in a consonant), so the long vowel needs two letters, or you would read _grot_ (cave). Add _-e_ and the word splits into _gro-te_. Now the syllable is open (it ends in a vowel), and a single vowel there already sounds long. This works in unstressed syllables too: _langzaam_, _langzame_. With two consonants, one stays behind, so the syllable stays closed and _paars_ keeps its _aa_: _paar-se_.
A short vowel has the opposite problem: _nat_ plus _-e_ written as _nate_ would sound like a long _aa_. Doubling gives _nat-te_, and the first _t_ keeps the vowel short. English does something similar with "big" and "bigger". If the word already ends in two consonants, one stays behind anyway, so nothing doubles: _zach-te_. There is no doubling after the neutral e sound (a short, relaxed "uh") either, as in the ending _-ig_: _aardig_, _aardige_. More in [open and closed syllables](#/lesson/open-closed-syllables).
The _v_ and _z_ follow sound. Dutch words normally do not end in a _v_ or _z_ sound, so you write _lief_ and _vies_. Between two vowels the softer sound appears, and the spelling shows it, just like _huis_, _huizen_ (see [v and f, z and s](#/lesson/v-f-z-s)). This is a strong tendency, not a law. After a consonant the _s_ usually stays: _Frans_, _Franse_; _vals_, _valse_. Some nationality words keep it too: _Chinees_, _Chinese_. After a short vowel the consonant usually doubles instead: _fris_, _frisse_; _laf_, _laffe_. One well-known exception is _grof_ (rough), which becomes _grove_.
Adjectives in unstressed _-en_ already end in a weak syllable with the neutral e sound. They take no _-e_, so there is nothing to respell: _de open deur_, _een tevreden klant_. _Groen_ is different: its _e_ belongs to _oe_ and the syllable is stressed, so you get _de groene deur_.
No _-e_, no change: in _een dik boek_ or _De jas is dik_ the adjective stays bare. See [Adjective endings](#/lesson/adjective-endings) and [adjectives after _zijn_, _worden_ and _blijven_](#/lesson/adjective-after-verb).
Remember: the _-e_ pulls one consonant into the next syllable. If that leaves a long vowel at the end of a syllable, one letter will do (_gro-te_). If it would leave a short stressed vowel with no consonant behind it, write that one consonant twice: one stays, one moves on (_dik-ke_). With two consonants, one stays behind anyway, so nothing changes (_zach-te_, _paar-se_).
Watch out
- Not: _een groote stad_ Say: _een grote stad_ (the _o_ ends the syllable, so one _o_ is enough)
- Not: _een dike jas_ Say: _een dikke jas_ (short stressed _i_ plus one _k_, so double the _k_)
- Not: _een liefe buurvrouw_ Say: _een lieve buurvrouw_ (after _ie_, the _f_ becomes _v_)
- Not: _een bose klant_ Say: _een boze klant_ (after a long vowel, the _s_ usually becomes _z_)
- Not: _de opene deur_ Say: _de open deur_ (unstressed _-en_ takes no _-e_)
Quick check
- Fill in the right form of _duur_: _Priya koopt een ... tas._
- Choose _dune_ or _dunne_: _Daan heeft een ... trui aan._
- Fill in the right form of _lief_: _Emma heeft een ... kat._
- Fix the sentence: _Yara koopt een houtene tafel._
Answers
- _dure_: the _u_ ends the syllable (_du-re_), so one _u_ is enough.
- _dunne_: short stressed _u_ plus one _n_, so double the _n_.
- _lieve_: after _ie_, the _f_ becomes _v_.
- _Yara koopt een houten tafel._ Unstressed _-en_ gets no _-e_.
Use it today
Write today's shopping list with five adjectives that get _-e_, like _witte bonen_, _grote eieren_ or _rode paprika's_. Check each spelling against the pattern before you cycle to the supermarket.