Sonderbare

Sonderbare is the feminine singular inflected form of the German adjective sonderbar, meaning peculiar, strange, or odd. It occurs when describing a feminine noun in attributive position (for example, after a definite or indefinite article) and is one of several inflected endings the German adjective takes.

Etymology and meaning: The word sonderbar combines sonder, meaning special or particular, with the suffix -bar, which denotes “capable of” or “worthy of.” The resulting adjective conveys something that stands out as unusual or remarkable. In modern usage, sonderbar is often seen as literary or formal, and its sense overlaps with synonyms such as eigenartig, merkwürdig, and seltsam.

Usage: Sonderbare is typically employed with feminine nouns in attributive position. Examples include eine sonderbare Geschichte (a peculiar story) and die sonderbare Frau (the peculiar woman). In the predicative position, German generally uses the base form sonderbar without an ending: Die Geschichte ist sonderbar. While common in daily speech, sonderbar can carry a slightly elevated, antique, or literary tone, and it may appear more frequently in written language, historical texts, or stylistic prose.

See also: sonderbar (the base adjective), eigenartig, merkwürdig, seltsam.

Examples in one line: Eine sonderbare Stille lag über dem Ort. Die Geschichte ist sonderbar.