Schlechtes

Schlechtes is the neuter singular inflected form of the German adjective schlecht when it appears attributively before a neuter noun, or it can be used as a nominalized form meaning “the bad thing.” It is not typically used alone as a noun without such a noun that follows.

In attributive use, endings of the adjective agree with the gender, number, and case of the noun. For neuter singular nominative or accusative, the form is schlectes, as in ein schlechtes Gewissen (a bad conscience), ein schlechtes Ergebnis (a bad result), or ein schlechtes Beispiel (a bad example). Masculine and feminine forms differ: ein schlechter Film, eine schlechte Idee. Plural forms are schlechte, as in schlechte Nachrichten.

Schlechtes can also function as a nominal word when the adjective is turned into a noun phrase, meaning “the bad thing.” In this use, the noun is capitalized: das Schlechte; etwas Schlechtes (something bad). This nominalization is common in moral, ethical, or evaluative contexts, such as discussions of the good and the bad in behavior or events.

Common collocations include bad conscience (schlechtes Gewissen), bad weather (schlechtes Wetter), and bad performance (schlechtes Ergebnis). The term covers both quality-related negative judgments (poor quality) and moral judgments (evil or wrong behavior), depending on context.

Etymologically, schlecht derives from the old Germanic word for being flawed or defective and has long been used in German to express negative evaluation. In modern usage, schlectes meaning depends on the accompanying noun and the syntactic position of the adjective.