Most adjectives in the German language are used without a complement i.e. without an object. For some adjectives though, a complement is obligatory. These adjectives are categorized according to the type and number of complements they may take.
|
adjectives without complements |
allein, kinderreich, blau, dumm, faul, intelligent | ||
Adjectives can take a dative object, an accusative object, a genitive object, a prepositional object or an obligatory adverbial as a complement.
|
adjectives with one complement |
dative object |
| jemandem treu sein | |
| accusative object | |
| jemanden/etwas wert sein | |
| genitive object | |
| einer Sache gewiss sein | |
| prepositional object | |
| auf jemanden/etwas angewiesen sein | |
| obligatory adverbial | |
| irgendwie gelaunt sein |
A very small group of adjectives can have two complements, a dative object and a prepositional object.
|
adjectives with two complements
|
dative object and prepositional object |
| jemandem bei etwas behilflich sein | |
| jemandem in etwas gleich sein | |
| jemandem für etwas dankbar sein |