Language/Javanese/Grammar/Adjectives

Javanese Grammar - Adjectives

Hi Javanese learners! 😊

In this lesson, we will learn about adjectives in Javanese. Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns. They are an essential part of any language and can help us express ourselves in a more nuanced way. Let's get started!

Finish this lesson and explore these related pages: Gender, Common Conjunctions & Adverbs of Manner.

What are adjectives?

First, let's define what an adjective is. An adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun. This means that it gives us more information about the noun such as its color, size, shape, or quality. Adjectives can come before or after the noun in a sentence.

Examples:

Javanese	Pronunciation	English
warna-lungguh	/wɔrnɔ lʊŋɡu/	black-colored
gedhé	/ɡədɛ/	big
menarik	/mɛnarɪk/	interesting
besér	/bəsɛr/	important

Using adjectives in a sentence

In Javanese, adjectives usually come after the noun they modify. However, if the adjective is used to compare two nouns, it can come before the noun.

Examples:

• Meja iki gedhé. (This table is big.)
• Gedhé banget meja iki. (This table is very big.)
• Bendi iki menarik. (This book is interesting.)
• Menarik banget bendi iki. (This book is very interesting.)

Degrees of comparison

In Javanese, adjectives can be used to compare nouns in three different degrees of comparison: positive, comparative, and superlative.

Positive degree

The positive degree is the basic form of the adjective. It does not express any degree of comparison but simply describes the noun.

Examples:

• Meja iki gedhé. (This table is big.)
• Mujur kersaému. (Good luck!)

Comparative degree

The comparative degree is used to compare two nouns. In Javanese, we use the word "lebih" to indicate comparison.

Examples:

• Meja iki lebih gedhé saka ing ngisoré. (This table is bigger than the one below.)
• Rani duwé mobil baru lebih apik saka duwé mobil sakabeh. (Rani's new car is nicer than her old one.)

Superlative degree

The superlative degree is used to express the highest or lowest degree of a quality among a group of nouns. In Javanese, we use the word "paling" to indicate the superlative degree.

Examples:

• Meja iki paling gedhé saka ing kabeh. (This table is the biggest of all.)
• Bendi iki paling menarik ing antarane buku-buku liya. (This book is the most interesting among the other books.)

Practice with dialogue

Let's practice using adjectives in a dialogue:

• Person 1: Mbok lanang-langit ora kethoprak, gur nunggu ing mawardi. (The groom is not coming yet, we're waiting for him in the wedding hall.)
• Person 2: Wah, bubar maning wis? (Oh, has the wedding been called off?)
• Person 1: Ora kok, masih adoh lanangé kesokan dina. Yen kowe arep duwé pacar, duwé teman sing paling besér, ya. (No, it's still on tomorrow. If you want to have a boyfriend, make sure he has the most important/special friend.)

In the dialogue above, we can see how adjectives are used to describe the situation and the people involved. "Langit" means sky, and "bubar maning" can mean "called off" or "ended". "Kesokan dina" means "tomorrow". "Pacar" means "boyfriend/girlfriend" and "teman" means "friend". "Paling besér" means "most important/special".

Conclusion

In this lesson, we have learned about adjectives, how they are used in Javanese, and the three degrees of comparison. Adjectives can make our language more interesting and expressive. With practice, you can learn to use them effectively in your Javanese communication.

To improve your Javanese Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!

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➡ 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. 😎

Upon wrapping up this lesson, take a look at these related pages: Sentence Structure, Conditional Mood & How to Use Be.

Other Lessons

• Gender
• Plurals
• Questions
• Conditional Mood
• Future Tense
• Pronouns
• Give your Opinion
• Negation
• How to Use Be

Sources

• Javanese Adjectives
• Javanese
• Learn Javanese - Grammar and Vocabulary