Adjective Opposites
Adjective opposites (antonyms) are pairs of words with opposite meanings. Learning opposites helps expand your vocabulary efficiently.
Many German adjectives have clear opposites that follow patterns. Understanding these patterns makes it easier to learn new words.
This lesson covers common adjective opposites and how to use them in sentences.
Explanation
Common adjective opposites in German include: groß/klein (big/small), gut/schlecht (good/bad), alt/jung (old/young), heiß/kalt (hot/cold).
Some adjectives use 'un-' prefix to form opposites: glücklich/unglücklich (happy/unhappy), möglich/unmöglich (possible/impossible).
Other opposites are completely different words: schnell/langsam (fast/slow), schön/hässlich (beautiful/ugly), reich/arm (rich/poor).
Adjective opposites follow the same declension rules as regular adjectives - they change endings based on article, case, and gender.
Common Adjective Opposites
| Adjective | Opposite | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| groß | klein | ein großes Haus / ein kleines Haus | a big house / a small house |
| gut | schlecht | gute Idee / schlechte Idee | good idea / bad idea |
| alt | jung | der alte Mann / der junge Mann | the old man / the young man |
| heiß | kalt | heißes Wasser / kaltes Wasser | hot water / cold water |
| schnell | langsam | schnelles Auto / langsames Auto | fast car / slow car |
| schön | hässlich | schöne Blume / hässliche Blume | beautiful flower / ugly flower |
| reich | arm | reicher Mann / armer Mann | rich man / poor man |
| leicht | schwer | leichte Aufgabe / schwere Aufgabe | easy task / difficult task |
Opposites with 'un-' Prefix
Some adjectives form opposites by adding the prefix 'un-'. This is similar to English 'un-' prefix.
Common examples: glücklich/unglücklich (happy/unhappy), möglich/unmöglich (possible/impossible), sicher/unsicher (safe/unsafe).
| Adjective | Opposite with 'un-' | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| glücklich | unglücklich | glücklicher Tag / unglücklicher Tag | happy day / unhappy day |
| möglich | unmöglich | mögliche Lösung / unmögliche Lösung | possible solution / impossible solution |
| sicher | unsicher | sicherer Weg / unsicherer Weg | safe way / unsafe way |
| wichtig | unwichtig | wichtige Information / unwichtige Information | important information / unimportant information |
Examples
Das Haus ist groß, aber das Zimmer ist klein.
The house is big, but the room is small.
Der Kaffee ist heiß, der Tee ist kalt.
The coffee is hot, the tea is cold.
Sie ist glücklich, er ist unglücklich.
She is happy, he is unhappy.
Das ist eine gute Idee, nicht eine schlechte.
That is a good idea, not a bad one.
Ein schnelles Auto ist teuer, ein langsames ist billig.
A fast car is expensive, a slow one is cheap.
Common Mistakes
ungroß
klein
Not all adjectives use 'un-' prefix. 'groß' has the opposite 'klein', not 'ungroß'.
ungut
schlecht
'Gut' has the opposite 'schlecht', not 'ungut'. Not all adjectives can use 'un-' prefix.
Practice Exercises
Test your understanding with interactive exercises. Practice makes perfect!
Start Exercises →Related Topics
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know which article to use?
German articles (der, die, das) depend on the gender of the noun. While there are some patterns, many nouns must be memorized. Practice and exposure to German will help you learn them naturally.
What's the difference between definite and indefinite articles?
Definite articles (der, die, das) mean 'the' and refer to specific things. Indefinite articles (ein, eine) mean 'a/an' and refer to non-specific things. Both must match the noun's gender: use 'ein' for masculine/neuter and 'eine' for feminine.
Are there rules for determining noun gender?
While there are some helpful patterns (e.g., words ending in -ung are usually feminine), there are many exceptions. The best approach is to learn nouns with their articles from the beginning.
What happens if I use the wrong article?
While using the wrong article is a common mistake, native speakers will usually still understand you. However, using the correct article is important for sounding natural and fluent in German.