Learn how these highly productive German suffixes shape meaning, tone, and word class - essential for decoding advanced vocabulary and building your own accurate expressions.
German suffixes are powerful tools for forming:
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adjectives
-
adverbs
-
abstract nouns
-
evaluative descriptions
This guide covers four extremely common and useful suffixes:
✔️ -bar - “able to be …”, possibility, suitability
✔️ -lich - characteristic, typical, belonging to
✔️ -haft - possessing a quality, often emotional or moral
✔️ -mäßig - “in terms of …”, “-wise”, stylistic / category relation
You’ll learn meanings, rules, nuance, C1 examples, and avoid common mistakes.
1. Suffix -bar - Possibility, “Able to Be …” (B2)
Meaning:
-
capable of being
-
possible
-
suitable
-
allowed
Often corresponds to English “-able” / “-ible”.
Word formation:
Verb stem → adjective
trinken → **trinkbar
**verstehen → verständlich (but: unverständlich more common; verstehbar rare but possible)
lesen → lesbar
Uses:
✔️ evaluating practical possibility
✔️ describing suitability
✔️ polite criticism (“barely drinkable”)
Examples:
- Das Wasser ist trinkbar_.
_ - Die Schrift ist kaum lesbar_.
_ - Die Situation ist beherrschbar_.
_ - Das Problem ist lösbar_.
_
Advanced nuance:
“-bar” often implies a positive or practical feasibility - if something is theoretically solvable.
2. Suffix -lich - General Adjective Maker (B1-C1)
Meaning:
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having the quality of
-
in a … way
-
belonging to
-
typical of
It is one of the most productive suffixes in German.
Sources:
Nouns, verbs, and adjectives can all form -lich adjectives.
Examples:
From nouns:
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Kind → kindlich (childlike)
-
Freund → freundlich (friendly)
-
Kultur → kulturell / kulturell (but kulturell is borrowed; kulturell/ kulturell coexists with kulturell; note difference)
From verbs:
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denken → denklich (worrisome / conceivable depending on context)
-
verstehen → verständlich (understandable)
From adjectives:
- möglich → möglicherweise (via -erweise)
Key nuance:
“-lich” creates neutral, descriptive adjectives.
Meaning depends heavily on base word.
3. Suffix -haft - Possessing a Characteristic, Often Emotional (B2-C1)
Meaning:
-
marked by
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having the nature of
-
characterised by
-
suggestive of
Often has a slightly literary, moral, or emotional tone.
Examples:
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leidenschaftlich (passionate) → but: leidenschaftshaft (passion-driven)
-
kindhaft - childlike in a pure, innocent way
-
grauenhaft - horrible, dreadful
-
musterhaft - exemplary
-
geheimnisvoll vs. geheimnishaft** (mysterious)
Nuance:
“-haft” is more expressive than “-lich” and often used for:
✔️ emotional colouring
✔️ moral judgement
✔️ literary style
✔️ intensification
Compare:
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kindlich (childlike, typical for a child)
-
kindhaft (childlike in a pure, unspoiled way)
-
grau (grey)
-
grauenhaft (horrifying)
4. Suffix -mäßig - Category, Style, “-wise” (B2-C1)
Meaning:
-
in terms of …
-
according to …
-
in the style/character of …
-
category-wise
Word formation:
Noun/adjective → adjective/adverb-like adjective
Examples:
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wettermäßig - weather-wise
-
technischmäßig - technically speaking
-
kindermäßig - child-like (in the style of children)
-
zeitgemäß - appropriate to the times
Strong academic uses:
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datenmäßig - data-wise
-
forschungsmäßig - in terms of research
Nuance:
“-mäßig” is informal to neutral depending on context.
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In conversation → common
-
In academic writing → reserved, but allowed when precise
-
In formal writing → often replaced by in Bezug auf, hinsichtlich, _bezüglich
_
5. Comparison of the Four Suffixes
| Suffix | Meaning | Typical Use | Tone | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -bar | able to be … | feasibility, evaluation | practical | lösbar, machbar |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| -lich | characteristic of … | neutral description | neutral | möglich, menschlich |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| -haft | possessing quality | expressive, literary | emotional | grauenhaft, kindhaft |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| -mäßig | category-wise, style-wise | comparisons to norms | informal-neutral | wetterbedingt / wettermäßig |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
6. Advanced Examples (C1 Level)
-bar
- Die Situation ist nur unter bestimmten Bedingungen haltbar_.
_ - Die These ist wissenschaftlich kaum vertretbar_.
_
-lich
- Eine verlässliche Quelle ist notwendig.
- Das Ergebnis war erwartungsgemäß nicht eindeutig_.
_
-haft
- Der Roman beschreibt die Szene in märchenhafter Weise.
- Sein Verhalten war geradezu verantwortungslos, ja verantwortungshaft* problematisch**.*
-mäßig
- _Forschungsmäßig ist das Thema gut dokumentiert.
_ - _Organisationsmäßig gibt es Verbesserungsbedarf.
_
7. Common Mistakes (and Correct Use)
❌ Confusing -lich and -haft
-
kindlich = childlike in behavior
-
kindhaft = childlike in innocence or essence
❌ Overusing “-mäßig” in academic writing
Too casual in some contexts. Replace with:
✔️ _hinsichtlich
_✔️ in Bezug auf
❌ Using -bar with verbs that don’t take it
Some verbs rarely form natural -bar adjectives:
verstehbar exists but sounds less common than verständlich.
❌ Using -haft to form words not typically used in German
Not all stems allow -haft.
8. Practice Section (With Solutions)
A. Build adjectives with the correct suffix
-
trinken → **trinkbar
** -
Kultur → kulturell (not kulturlich)
-
grau → **grauenhaft
** -
Technik → **technikmäßig
**
B. Choose the best suffix
- “scientifically acceptable”
→ wissenschaftlich _vertretbar
_ - “childlike (innocent)”
→ **kindhaft
** - “appropriate to the times”
→ **zeitgemäß
** - “understandable” (natural German)
→ verständlich (preferred over verstehbar)
C. Rewrite using a suffix formation
- _Das Problem kann gelöst werden.
→ Das Problem ist lösbar.
_ - _Ihr Verhalten war sehr emotional und extrem.
_→ Ihr Verhalten war leidenschaftlich oder leidenschaftshaft (depending on nuance). - _In terms of weather, das Fest war ein Erfolg.
_→ _Wettermäßig war das Fest ein Erfolg.
_
9. Summary Cheat Sheet
-bar
“able to be …“
feasible, possible
→ trinkbar, machbar, lösbar
-lich
general adjective former
neutral tone
→ menschlich, möglich, freundlich
-haft
quality/essence with emotional tone
→ grauenhaft, kindhaft, geheimnishaft
-mäßig
“in terms of …”, style-wise
→ wettermäßig, zeitgemäß, forschungsmäßig
