This post helps us understand what a proper adjective is and how it is used in English.
What is a proper adjective in English?
Proper adjective definition: A proper adjective is a word that is formed from a proper noun. Since it comes from a proper noun, it has to be capitalized.
One might need to brush up on proper nouns to understand proper adjectives better.
We usually use a proper adjective to modify a noun in terms of where it comes from (the origination of the noun). Italy is a proper noun, and when we refer to something that comes from it, we use the proper adjective ‘Italian‘.
In the example “This is an Italian restaurant”, the word ‘Italian’ is a proper adjective that’s modifying the noun ‘restaurant‘. Associating it with the country Italy indicates that it (the restaurant) serves food that comes from or is prevalent in Italy.
A list of proper adjectives (places)
| Proper noun (countries) | Proper adjective |
| India | Indian |
| America | American |
| China | Chinese |
| Nepal | Nepalise |
| Korea | Korean |
| Pakistan | Pakistani |
| Germany | German |
| Bangladesh | Bangladeshi |
| Switzerland | Swiss |
| Spain | Spanish |
| Australia | Australian |
| Russia | Russian |
| Brazil | Brazilian |
| Britain | British |
| Denmark | Danish |
| Germany | German |
| England | English |
| Iran | Iranian |
| Greece | Greek |
| Japan | Japanese |
| Mexico | Mexican |
| Poland | Polish |
| Libya | Libyan |
Examples:
- Indian government takes very good care of its citizens.
- UFC has a lot of Brazilian fighters in the organization.
- My father loves Iranian movies.
- I am a huge fan of Chinese food.
- This cafe is famous for Danish cakes.
- Hrithik Roshan is called a Greek god.
- These people have come here to explore the Indian culture.
- I love Swiss candies.
| Proper noun (Region/continent) | Proper adjective |
| Asia | Asian |
| Africa | African |
| Europe | European |
| Middle East | Middle Eastern |
| North Africa | North African |
| South America | South America |
| Southeast Asia | Southeast Asian |
| Antarctica | Antarctic |
Examples:
- Most European countries are very developed.
- Chapati is a common type of bread in Asian culture.
- UFC has 3 African champions currently.
- Hausa is one of the North African tribes.
- He is often seen in Middle Eastern movies.
| Proper noun (people) | Proper adjective |
| Gautama Buddha | Buddhist |
| Charles Darwin | Darwinian |
| Queen Elizabeth | Elizabethan |
| Jesus Christ | Christian |
| Karl Marx | Marxist |
| William Shakespeare | Shakespearean |
Examples:
- I strongly believe in Buddhist practices.
- Reading the Marxist theory would help you write the paper.
- My friend Tory is a huge fan of Shakespearean plays.
- You can’t completely be against the Darwinian view without knowing it completely.
Now, we know what a proper adjective is and everything about it. Feel free to share your question, doubt, or feedback in the comment section, and also, share the post with the people that need it.
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