Chapter 12: Weak Adjectives

As we noted, there are two types of adjectives in Old English: strong adjectives, which we covered in the previous chapter, and weak adjectives. Almost all Old English adjectives can be either strong or weak, depending on how they are used in a sentence. "Strong" and "weak" are just labels that tell you what ending the adjective takes depending on the case (which, you'll remember, marks the grammatical function) of the noun it is modifying.

Weak Adjectives do not stand on their own; they come paired with a demonstrative.

That wise king ruled Wessex.

In the example sentence "wise" is a weak adjective; the demonstrative pronoun "that" is paired with it. "That wise king" forms a single compound subject with all three words in the nominative case.

Weak Declension Adjectives Pardigms

Singular Weak Adjectives

Case	Masculine	Neuter	Feminine
Nominative	a	e	e
Genitive	an	an	an
Accusative	an	e	an
Dative and Instrumental	an	an	an

Plural Weak Adjectives

Case	All Genders
Nominative	an
Genitive	ra or ena
Accusative	an
Dative and Instrumental	um

Weak Declension Adjectives Examples

god = good

Singular Weak Adjectives (Examples)

Case	Masculine	Neuter	Feminine
Nominative	goda	gode	gode
Genitive	godan	godan	godan
Accusative	godan	gode	godan
Dative and Instrumental	godan	godan	godan

Plural Weak Adjectives (Examples)

Case	All Genders
Nominative	godan
Genitive	godra or godena
Accusative	godan
Dative and Instrumental	godum

Chapter 12 Vocabulary Words

Chapter 12 Translation Practice

Chapter 12 Reading Practice

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