Attributiv

Attributiv is a grammatical term most often used in German-language grammar to describe the attributive use of adjectives and other modifiers that directly accompany a noun within a noun phrase. In this position the modifier functions as part of the noun phrase, and its form is inflected to agree with the noun’s gender, number, and case.

In attributive position, the determiner preceding the noun influences the adjective’s ending. For example: der schöne Tag (the beautiful day) and ein schöner Tag (a beautiful day) show how endings change with definite versus indefinite determiner. The attributive adjective carries endings that signal gender, number, and case, and it can vary if the noun phrase includes demonstratives or possessives. By contrast, predicative adjectives follow a linking verb and do not receive the same determiner-based inflection: Der Tag ist schön.

German grammar also distinguishes between strong, weak, and mixed declension of attributive adjectives, depending on the presence and type of determiner. When no determiner is used, strong endings appear (schöner Tag). When a definite article is used, weak endings appear (der schöne Tag). Mixed endings occur with certain determiners like kein or possessives.

The term Attributiv is part of a broader typology of adjective use that includes attributive, predicative, and adverbial positions. While most commonly described in German, the concept of attributive modification appears in related Germanic languages with comparable inflection patterns.