vernünftige

Vernünftige is the inflected form of the German adjective vernünftig, meaning sensible or reasonable. As an adjective it describes something that is sound, prudent, or rational and agrees with the noun it modifies by gender, number, and case. Examples: der vernünftige Plan (masculine nominative singular), eine vernünftige Entscheidung (feminine singular), ein vernünftiges Vorgehen (neuter singular). In plural or with different determiners the forms change accordingly: vernünftige Ideen (plural), die vernünftigen Ideen (plural with definite article).

As a noun, vernünftige can be substantivized and capitalized as Vernünftige, referring to a person who is reasonable. The masculine singular is der Vernünftige; the plural is die Vernünftigen. This usage often appears in discussions about groups or individuals characterized by good sense or prudence, for example: In der Debatte traten die Vernünftigen für eine moderate Lösung ein.

Etymology and usage context: vernünftig derives from Vernunft, the German word for reason. The noun form Vernünftige signals a collective or individual characterized by rationality. In everyday speech it is more common to encounter the adjective form, while the noun usage tends to appear in more formal, rhetorical, or literary contexts. The term can be contrasted with Unvernünftige (irrational people) to stress a distinction between rational and irrational positions.

See also: Vernunft, vernünftig (the base adjective), Rationalität, Pragmatismus.