Introduction to Nynorsk/Adjectives

Regular adjectives

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The adjectives with a regular inflection come in five major classes, which will be introduced in the tables below.

a1
masculine feminine neuter definite singular plural comparative indef. superlative def. superlative
turr1 turt turre turrare turrast turraste
dry drier driest (the) driest
1:The parallel form tørr is more common in use, while turr is the traditional form.
a2
masculine feminine neuter definite singular plural comparative indef. superlative def. superlative
norsk norske meir norsk mest norsk den/det mest norske
Norwegian more Norwegian most Norwegian the most Norwegian
a3
masculine feminine neuter definite singular plural comparative indef. superlative def. superlative
direkte meir direkte mest direkte den/det mest direkte
direct more direct most direct the most direct
a4
masculine feminine neuter definite singular plural comparative indef. superlative def. superlative
vaken vake or vakent vakne meir vaken mest vaken den/det mest vakne
awake more awake most awake the most awake

Note that the -are, -ast, -aste comparative and superlative inflection may also be used for this class. It might vary from adjective to adjective which inflection is the most common one.

a5
masculine feminine neuter definite singular plural comparative indef. superlative def. superlative
frosen frose frosne meir frosen mest frosen den/det mest frosne
frozen more frozen most frozen the most frozen

What separates a5 from a4, is that a5 is derived from the past participles of verbs. Just as with a4, the -are, -ast, -aste comparative and superlative inflection may also be used for this class.

Irregular adjectives

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Several adjectives have an irregular inflection. Note, however, that parts of their inflection typically are regular.

stor
masculine feminine neuter definite singular plural comparative indef. superlative def. superlative
stor stort store større størst største
large larger largest (the) largest

In this case, the irregularity is the fact that the root vowel changes (o →‎ ø) while the -are, -ast(e) suffixes are not used.

gamal
masculine feminine neuter definite singular plural comparative indef. superlative def. superlative
gam(m)al gam(m)alt gamle eldre eldst eldste
old older oldest (the) oldest
god
masculine feminine neuter definite singular plural comparative indef. superlative def. superlative
god godt gode betre best beste
good better best (the) best

This adjective was highly irregular (just as with the previous one, the root isn't kept for the last forms), but, the irregularity is almost identical to the English one!

liten
masculine feminine neuter definite singular plural comparative indef. superlative def. superlative
liten lita lite litle or vesle små or småe mindre minst minste
little smaller smallest (the) smallest

This adjective also has some similarity with its English counterpart, but it is, nonetheless, inflected in quite a different manner.

mykje
masculine feminine neuter definite singular plural comparative indef. superlative def. superlative
mykje meir mest det/den mest
much more most the most
ung
masculine feminine neuter definite singular plural comparative indef. superlative def. superlative
ung ungt unge yngre yngst yngste
young younger youngest (the) youngest
definite singular plural comparative indef. superlative def. superlative
or fåe or fåe færre færrast færraste
few fewer fewest (the) fewest
verre
comparative indef. superlative def. superlative
verre verst verste
worse worst (the) worst

This adjective can be employed as degree forms of vond and dårleg (both meaning, among other things, "bad"), although both those adjectives have such forms of their own.

øvre
comparative indef. superlative def. superlative
øvre øvst øvste
upper upmost (the) upmost

Note the regularity of the defininte superlative being equal to indefinite superlative + e, just as with e.g. a1 (for all adjectives not employing det/den).