Nearly all Angle-Saxish adjectives (including participles) have both a strong (indefinite) and a weak (definite) form: strong guud, weak gude, which follow the strong and the weak declension respectively. Predicate adjectives, which do not precede a noun, do not have any inflection.
The weak form of the adjective is used:
- after the definite article and demonstrative adjectives;
- after a possessive adjective;
- in the vocative.
The following adjectives have only one form:
- Always strong: oon, one, uðer, second, ogen, own, wylçh, which, swylçh, such, and the possessive adjectives main, ðain, auer, juwer.
- Always weak: one, alone; all ordinals except uðer; all comparatives; hindeme, hindmost. Superlatives have both strong and weak forms, but as they are usually preceded by the definite article, strong forms are not common.
Strong declension
Primary paradigm
guud, good.
| Masc. | Neut. | Fem. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | |||
| Nom. | guud | guud | gude |
| Acc. | guden | guud | gude |
| Gen. | gudes | guder | |
| Dat. | gudem | guder | |
| Plural | |||
| Masc. | Neut. | Fem. | |
| N. Acc. | gude | gude | gude |
| Gen. | guder | ||
| Dat. | gudem | ||
Syncope
The rule laid down here holds good, i.e. syncope of the e of the suffixes -el, -er, before a termination beginning with e, is normal after a long root-syllable, exceptional after a short. Exceptions are not numerous. Miçhel and yvel syncopate; words in -en, such as gylden, golden, do not syncopate.
Secondary paradigm
jare, ready.
| Masc. | Neut. | Fem. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | |||
| Nom. | jare | jare | jare |
| Acc. | jaren | jare | jare |
| Gen. | jarwes | jarer | |
| Dat. | jarwem | jarer | |
| Plural | |||
| Masc. | Neut. | Fem. | |
| N. Acc. | jarwe | jarwe | jarwe |
| Gen. | jarer | ||
| Dat. | jarer | ||
Like jare is declined vale, fallow, nare, narrow, and jele, yellow.
Secondary paradigm
hääch, high.
| Masc. | Neut. | Fem. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | |||
| Nom. | hääch | hääch | hää |
| Acc. | hään | hääch | hää |
| Gen. | hääs | häär | |
| Dat. | hääm | häär | |
| Plural | |||
| Masc. | Neut. | Fem. | |
| N. Acc. | hää | hää | hää |
| Gen. | häär | ||
| Dat. | hääm | ||
H-stems follow the rules laid down here.
Weak declension
gude, good.
| Masc. | Neut. | Fem. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singular | |||
| Nom. | gude | gude | gude |
| Acc. | guden | gude | gude |
| Gen. | guden | ||
| Dat. | guden | ||
| Plural | |||
| Masc. | Neut. | Fem. | |
| N. Acc. | guden | ||
| Gen. | gudene | ||
| Dat. | gudem | ||
It will be seen that the weak declensions of adjectives and nouns are identical.
H-stems contract, etc., much as in the strong declension.