Adjectives as Attributes with 的 — Taiwanese Hokkien Grammar

To put a describing word in front of a noun, close it off with (êêe5): modifier, then (êêe5), then the noun. The modifier can be a single adjective or a much longer phrase — the structure does not change.

一台舊的收音機。
tsi̍t tâi kū ê siu-im-kichi̍t tâi kū ê siu-im-kitsit8 tai5 ku7 e5 siu1-im1-ki1
An old radio.
祝你有快活的一工。
tsiok lí ū khuìnn-ua̍h ê tsi̍t kangchiok lí ū khùiⁿ-oa̍h ê chi̍t kangtsiok4 li2 u7 khuinn3-uah8 e5 tsit8 kang1
Wishing you a pleasant day.
你欲啥物色的鞋？
lí beh siánn-mih sik ê êlí beh siáⁿ-mih sek ê êli2 beh4 siann2-mih4 sik4 e5 e5
What colour shoes do you want?

Before the Noun, Always

This is the mirror image of English for anything longer than one word. English puts a short adjective first (an old radio) but sends longer descriptions to the back (the radio that I bought). Taiwanese keeps everything in front of the noun, however long it gets, and marks the join with (êêe5).

At the End of a Sentence

The same (êêe5) also turns up finishing a sentence, after an adjective that is the predicate. Here it is not linking to a following noun — it rounds the statement off and adds a note of assertion, a little like English it's a noisy one beside it's noisy.

𪜶的囡仔足吵的。
in-ê gín-á tsiok tshá --êin-ê gín-á chiok chhá --êin1-e5 gin2-a2 tsiok4 tsha2 --e5
Their children are very noisy.
足歹開的。
tsiok pháinn khui êchiok phaíⁿ khui êtsiok4 phainn2 khui1 e5
It's very hard to open.
我感覺地球是平的。
guá kám-kak tē-kiû sī pênn --êgóa kám-kak tē-kiû sī pêⁿ --êgua2 kam2-kak4 te7-kiu5 si7 penn5 --e5
I think the earth is flat.

With Comparatives and Superlatives

Comparative and superlative phrases attach to their noun the same way. Because (khahkhahkhah4) more and (siōngsiōngsiong7) most are just adverbs on the adjective, the whole thing still needs (êêe5) to reach the noun.

你敢知影佗位有較好的餐廳？
lí kám tsai-iánn tó-uī ū khah hó ê tshan-thiannlí kám chai-iáⁿ tó-ūi ū khah hó ê chhan-thiaⁿli2 kam2 tsai1-iann2 to2-ui7 u7 khah4 ho2 e5 tshan1-thiann1
Do you know where there's a better restaurant?
這間是全世界上讚的餐廳。
tsit king sī tsuân-sè-kài siōng tsán ê tshan-thiannchit keng sī choân-sè-kài siōng chán ê chhan-thiaⁿtsit4 king1 si7 tsuan5-se3-kai3 siong7 tsan2 e5 tshan1-thiann1
This is the best restaurant in the world.
彼張媠的像片掛佇壁頂。
hit tiunn suí ê siōng-phìnn kuà tī piah-tínghit tiuⁿ súi ê siōng-phìⁿ kòa tī piah-ténghit4 tiunn1 sui2 e5 siong7-phinn3 kua3 ti7 piah4-ting2
That beautiful photo hangs on the wall.

Not With a Plain Predicate

Be careful not to over-use it. When you simply want to say the book is old, you need a degree word and no (êêe5) at all — the adjective is already the whole predicate.

這本冊足舊矣。
tsit pún tsheh tsiok kū --ahchit pún chheh chiok kū --ahtsit4 pun2 tsheh4 tsiok4 ku7 --ah4
This book is very old now.

One fixed use worth recognising: letters and formal address open with (tshin-ài --êchhin-ài --êtshin1-ai3 --e5), the exact counterpart of English Dear ….

親愛的Smith太太：
tshin-ài --ê Smith thài-thàichhin-ài --ê Smith thài-thàitshin1-ai3 --e5 Smith4 thai3-thai3
Dear Mrs Smith,

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Taiwanese Hokkien course

42 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 10. A few of them, with the words “Adjectives as Attributes with 的” is about in bold:

伊有一台足慢足俗的車。
i ū tsi̍t tâi tsiok bān tsiok sio̍k ê tshia.i ū chi̍t tâi chiok bān chiok sio̍k ê chhia.i1 u7 tsit8 tai5 tsiok4 ban7 tsiok4 siok8 e5 tshia1.
She has a slow, cheap car.
Lesson 110
你有兩个誠媠的囡仔。𪜶幾歲矣？
lí ū nn̄g ê tsiânn suí ê gín-á. in kuí huè --ah?lí ū nn̄g ê chiâⁿ súi ê gín-á. in kúi hòe --ah?li2 u7 nng7 e5 tsiann5 sui2 e5 gin2-a2. in1 kui2 hue3 --ah4?
You have two very beautiful children. How old are they?
Lesson 264
我愛冷的天氣。我愛雪佮冰。
guá ài líng ê thinn-khì. guá ài seh kah ping.góa ài léng ê thiⁿ-khì. góa ài seh kah peng.gua2 ai3 ling2 e5 thinn1-khi3. gua2 ai3 seh4 kah4 ping1.
I love cold weather. I love snow and ice.
Lesson 295

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