Attributief

Attributief is a term from Dutch grammar describing an adjective that directly modifies a noun within a noun phrase. An attributive adjective appears before the noun it modifies and is part of the noun phrase, as in een mooi huis or de grote auto. This use is contrasted with predicatief (predicative) adjectives, which follow a linking verb like zijn and describe the subject rather than the noun itself: Het huis is groot.

In Dutch, attributive adjectives are inflected for definiteness and number. In definite noun phrases and in the plural, the adjective typically takes an -e ending: de grote auto, de kleine kinderen, de grote huizen. In indefinite singular noun phrases, the adjective usually remains in its base form without -e: een groot huis. There are irregularities and exceptions, and some adjectives show different patterns in dialects or older varieties of the language.

Adjectives can be combined and ordered within a noun phrase, for example: een oude, grote man. When multiple adjectives are used, their order and inflection depend on definiteness, number, and the specific adjectives involved. The attributive position contrasts with the predicative position, where adjectives describe the subject after a linking verb and do not directly inflect for the noun’s definiteness or number.

Beyond Dutch, the concept of attributive adjectives exists in other Germanic languages and corresponds to the English term “attributive adjective.” In linguistic terminology, attributief describes the grammatical function of an adjective that modifies a noun within a noun phrase, rather than serving as a complement after a verb. See also predicatief, attributie.