Adjectives

Sindarin Grammar 1

Course 1 · Chapter 5 · Adjectives

Adjectives bring together the two ideas of the last chapters: they follow the noun, they mutate, and they agree in number by the vowel change of Chapter 3. This chapter uses a small set of attested phrases and clearly labels the forms that are reconstructions.

The idea in a box

In Sindarin the adjective usually comes after its noun, and when it does, its first consonant softens. If the noun is plural, the adjective takes the plural too.

Position and Softening

An adjective that describes a noun normally follows it. English puts the adjective first ("the Elvish gate"); Sindarin puts it second.

# attested: the adjective follows the noun
annon edhellen           Elvish gate        (annon "gate" + edhellen "Elvish")
genediad Drannail        the Shire reckoning

# the second word is softened (lenited) after the noun, as in
loth hen   ar   'aladh hen        this flower and this tree
         (hen from sen "this"; 'aladh from galadh "tree")

Words that count the thing or ask about it (indefinite, interrogative, exclamative) go before the noun. Order can also change for emphasis: galadhremmin ennorath "the tree-woven Middle-earth".

Described Versus Stated

A reconstruction offers a neat distinction, and it is worth knowing though it is not firmly attested. When the adjective describes a noun it is softened; when it states something with the verb "to be" left out, it is not:

# reconstructed (a learner's summary), not attested
i edhel veleg        the mighty elf          (beleg → veleg: describes the elf)
i edhel beleg               the elf is mighty       (no mutation: states a fact)

Arwen bain           Arwen is beautiful
Arwen vain           beautiful Arwen

Agreement in Number

A plural noun takes a plural adjective. The plural is made the same way as for nouns (Chapter 3): by i-affection, a vowel change inside the word. A reconstruction gives:

# reconstructed
beleg   →   belig               mighty (singular → plural)
i edhel veleg            the mighty elf
in edhil velig           the mighty elves

# the determiners show number too
sen / sin      this / these
tan / tain     that / those
pen / pain     all (singular / plural)

If one adjective describes two nouns, it takes the plural: I loth hen ar i 'aladh hen bain "this flower and this tree are beautiful" (the adjective bain is plural here in meaning).

Comparison

A summary of the grammar gives a prefix for the comparative and a suffix for the superlative. These are reconstructions and are listed here as proposals.

Degree	Form	Example
Comparative	prefix an-	celeg "swift" → angeleg "swifter"
Superlative	suffix -wain	celegwain "the swiftest"; iarwain "the eldest"

Iarwain is a name in the books (Tom Bombadil's Elvish name), which makes the superlative the better supported of the two.

Adjectives as Adverbs

After a verb, an adjective can do the work of an adverb. Arwen's cry to her horse is attested:

# attested
noro lim Asfaloth        ride swiftly, Asfaloth
  noro    ride!     lim   swift(ly)

There is no separate word class for adverbs; the adjective stands after the verb.

Watch out: much of the neat rule is reconstruction

The tidy contrast between edhel veleg and edhel beleg comes from a learner's summary that describes itself as partly speculative. The attested core is smaller: adjectives follow the noun, are softened there, and agree in number.

Watch out: do not use the English order

Putting the adjective first (edhellen annon) is not the normal Sindarin order. It can occur for emphasis, but as a beginner, keep the noun first.

Common myths

"Sindarin adjectives never change." They soften after the noun and take the plural.
"Sindarin has a word for 'is' before every adjective." The verb "to be" is often left out (Chapter 7).
"Adverbs have their own ending." An adjective after the verb does the job.

Hands-On Exercises

Exercise 1

Translate annon edhellen and noro lim Asfaloth, and explain the order of words in each. Label each as attested or reconstructed.

📄 View solution

Exercise 2

Using the reconstructed pattern, explain why "the mighty elf" is i edhel veleg but "the elf is mighty" is i edhel beleg, and what the plural of each is. Say which parts are reconstructions.

📄 View solution

Exercise 3

Build the comparative and superlative of celeg "swift" using the proposals in this chapter, and say how sure each form is. Then explain what iarwain tells you.

📄 View solution

Chapter 5 Quick Reference

Adjective usually follows the noun and is softened: annon edhellen
Number: plural noun, plural adjective, by vowel change; sen/sin, tan/tain, pen/pain
Reconstructed contrast: edhel veleg (describes) vs edhel beleg (states)
Comparison (proposed): an- comparative, -wain superlative (iarwain)
After a verb an adjective acts as an adverb: noro lim

Coming next

Sindarin Grammar 1, Chapter 6 covers pronouns and prepositions: the small words and endings for "I", "you" and "they", and how they join to prepositions.