Predikatief

Predikatief, in Dutch grammar often called predicatief, is the part of a sentence that ascribes a property or role to the subject after a linking verb such as zijn (to be), worden (to become), blijven (to remain), lijken (to seem), or blijken (to prove). It contrasts with attributive adjectives, which modify a noun within the noun phrase.

There are two main forms of predicatief. The predicatief adjective describes the subject: Het huis is groot. The predicatief nominal describes identity or classification: Zij is een arts; Hij werd student. In addition to adjectival predicates, predicative nominals occur when the complement is a noun phrase, as in Hij is mijn broer or Het meisje bleek een held.

Form and agreement rules in Dutch generally place predicative adjectives in their base form, and they do not take the typical -e inflection that occurs in attributive position. For example, De man is groot, De mannen zijn groot. When the predicate is a predicative noun phrase, the form follows standard noun usage, as in Zij is een leraar or Hij werd vader.

Understanding predicatief helps distinguish how properties and identities are stated in Dutch sentences. It is a standard concept in grammar descriptions and language teaching, and it interacts with the broader system of predication, where verbs like zijn, worden, blijken, en lijken link the subject to a description, a class, or a role rather than directly modifying a noun. In other languages, equivalent terms such as Prädikativ or predikativ are used with similar functions.