Language/China-buriat/Grammar/Adjectives
Hi China Buriat learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about adjectives in China Buriat. Adjectives are important in every language because they allow us to describe and give more information about nouns. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to use adjectives to describe nouns and compare them. You will also learn some interesting cultural information related to adjectives in China Buriat. Don't forget to practice with examples and dialogue to improve your understanding. Let's get started!
Once you've mastered this lesson, take a look at these related pages: How to Use "Be", Questions & How to Use Have.
What are Adjectives?[edit | edit source]
Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns (people, places, things or ideas). Adjectives help us to describe qualities such as size, shape, color, age or emotions. Here are some examples:
| China Buriat | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ширээн | shireen | big |
| хошуун | khoshuun | small |
| хар | khar | black |
| шаргай | shargai | white |
| хүүхэд | khukhed | young |
| эрээнхий | erenkhii | adult/middle-aged |
| сууч | suuch | happy |
| гайхамшиг | gaikhamshig | sad |
To use adjectives in a sentence, we usually place them directly before or after the noun they describe. Here's an example:
- Миний гэр хаана? Бидний гэр хар. (Minii ger khaana? Bidnii ger khar.)
Where is my house? Our house is black.
Comparison of Adjectives[edit | edit source]
In China Buriat, to compare adjectives, we use the word "хамгийн" (khamgiin) which means "most" or "the most". To form the comparative form of adjectives, we add the suffix "-раа" ("-raa") to the adjective. Here are some examples:
| China Buriat | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ширээний | shireeni | bigger |
| хошууны | khoshuuni | smaller |
| харьраа | kharraa | blacker |
| шаргайраа | shargai raa | whiter |
| хүүхэдийн | khukhediin | younger |
| эрээнхийн | erenkhiin | more adult/middle-aged |
| суучийн | suuchiin | happier |
| гайхамшигийн | gaikhamshigiin | sadder |
To form the superlative form of adjectives, we use the word "хамгийн" (khamgiin) followed by the adjective and the suffix "-тай" ("-tai"). Here are some examples:
| China Buriat | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| хамгийн ширээнийтэй | khamgiin shireeniiitei | the biggest |
| хамгийн хошуунтай | khamgiin khoshuuntai | the smallest |
| хамгийн харьтай | khamgiin khar tai | the blackest |
| хамгийн шаргайтай | khamgiin shargai tai | the whitest |
| хамгийн хүүхэдтэй | khamgiin khukhedtei | the youngest |
| хамгийн эрээнхийтэй | khamgiin erenkhii tei | the most adult/middle-aged |
| хамгийн суучтай | khamgiin suuch tai | the happiest |
| хамгийн гайхамшигтай | khamgiin gaikhamshig tai | the saddest |
It's important to remember that adjectives must agree in gender with the noun they describe. For example, if we describe a feminine noun, we must use the feminine form of the adjective. Here's an example dialogue:
- Person 1: Энэ хууль юм уу? (Ene khul yum uu?) What is this law?
- Person 2: Энэ нэгдсэн хууль юм. (Ene negdsen khul yum.) This is a unified law.
In this example, we use the word "нэгдсэн" (negdsen) which means "unified". We use the masculine form "нэгдсэн" instead of the feminine form "нэгдсэний" (negdsenii) because "хууль" (khul) is a masculine noun.
Interesting cultural information[edit | edit source]
In China Buriat, adjectives can be used to describe relatives based on their position in the family. This is important because respect towards elders is highly valued in the culture. Here are some examples:
| China Buriat | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| гэрээнд муухай | geriin muukhai | eldest brother |
| хатанаар чанхун | khatanaar chanhun | younger sister (from a female's perspective) |
| анхны уухай | ankhny uukhai | mother-in-law |
| хүүхдийн ээж | khukhdiin eezh | daughter in-law |
By using these adjectives, we show respect to the older family members and acknowledge the importance of their position.
To improve your China Buriat Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎