predikativa

Predikativa, or predicatives, denote a grammatical function that completes the predicate of a sentence by describing, identifying, or classifying its subject. They typically follow a linking verb such as be, seem, become, or appear, and they contrast with attributive modifiers that directly modify a noun inside the noun phrase.

Predicatives can take several realizations. The most common are predicative adjectives (describing the subject) and predicative nouns or noun phrases (naming or classifying the subject). Examples include The sky is blue, John became a lawyer, and The winner is John. Predicatives may also be expressed by pronouns or by longer phrases in some languages.

A key distinction in grammar is between predicatives and attributive modifiers. Attributive adjectives modify a noun within the noun phrase (for example, a blue car), whereas predicatives describe the subject as the predicate, typically after a copula. This difference affects word order and sometimes agreement or case marking.

Cross-linguistic variation exists in how predicatives behave. In German, predicatives can be adjectives or nouns that follow forms of sein and appear in the nominative, often without further inflection. In English, predicatives are usually noun phrases or adjectives following a linking verb. Other languages may require specific agreement in gender, number, or case, or may permit copula omission in present tense predication. Predicatives thus form a central part of the grammar of the predicate across languages, signaling the subject’s identity or state.