Feeling Words: -ed vs. -ing Adjectives (A2 English Vocabulary)

Raúl Maguiña

Gründer von Langcom | Prüfer für Cambridge- und SIELE-Prüfungen

August 5, 2026

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Understanding the difference between -ed and -ing adjectives for feelings is key to clear English communication at A2 level. Adjectives ending in -ed describe *how a person feels*. For example, if you say I am bored, it means *you* have the feeling of boredom. On the other hand, adjectives ending in -ing describe the *thing or situation that causes* the feeling. So, if you say The movie is boring, it means the movie makes people feel bored. This distinction helps you express whether you are experiencing an emotion or describing something that creates that emotion. Mastering these forms will prevent common mistakes and make your English sound more natural. Remember: I am interested means you feel interest, while The book is interesting means the book causes interest. This rule applies to many common feeling adjectives like excited/exciting, tired/tiring, und surprised/surprising.

What are -ed adjectives for feelings?

We use adjectives ending in -ed to talk about how a person feels. These words describe an emotion that someone is experiencing.

Think of it as the person *receiving* the feeling.

  • I am bored. (I have the feeling of boredom.)
  • She is interested. (She has the feeling of interest.)
  • He was tired. (He had the feeling of tiredness.)
  • They felt excited. (They had the feeling of excitement.)
  • We were surprised. (We had the feeling of surprise.)

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What are -ing adjectives for feelings?

We use adjectives ending in -ing to describe the thing, person, or situation that *causes* a feeling. These words tell us about the quality of something that makes us feel a certain way.

Think of it as the thing *giving* the feeling.

  • The movie is boring. (The movie causes boredom.)
  • The book is interesting. (The book causes interest.)
  • The journey was tiring. (The journey caused tiredness.)
  • The news was exciting. (The news caused excitement.)
  • The ending was surprising. (The ending caused surprise.)

How can I remember the difference?

Here is a simple way to remember:

  • Verwendung -ed for people and how they feel: I am bored.
  • Verwendung -ing for things or situations that cause the feeling: The class is boring.

You can also think: I am -ed (describes me), It is -ing (describes it).

Common -ed and -ing Adjectives for Feelings
Feeling (How you feel) Cause (What causes the feeling)
bored boring
interested interesting
excited exciting
tired tiring
surprised surprising
annoyed annoying
frustrated frustrating
confused confusing
disappointed disappointing

Beispiele

  • I was so bored during the movie because it was very boring.
  • She was surprised by the surprising news about her trip.
  • We felt excited about the exciting football match.
  • The long journey was tiring, and I was very tired when I arrived.
  • He finds history interesting; he is very interested in ancient cultures.
  • Her constant complaining is annoying, and I feel very annoyed.

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Häufige Fehler bei Spanischsprechern

A common mistake for Spanish speakers is to translate directly from phrases like "Estoy aburrido." This can lead to saying I am boring when you mean I am bored.

  • Falsch: I am boring. (This means *you* make other people feel bored.)
  • Richtig: I am bored. (This means *you* feel boredom.)

Remember, if you are talking about your own feeling, use the -ed adjective.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

Can I use both -ed and -ing adjectives for people?

Yes, but the meaning changes completely. If you say He is bored, it means he feels the emotion of boredom. If you say He is boring, it means he makes other people feel bored.

Are there other adjectives like this?

Yes, many! Once you understand this rule, you will see it in many other pairs, such as confused/confusing, disappointed/disappointing, amazed/amazing, frustrated/frustrating, und annoyed/annoying.

How important is this for the A2 Key exam?

It is very important for clear communication! Using the correct form helps you express yourself accurately in the A2 Key Speaking and Writing parts. You might also need to understand these differences in Reading and Listening tasks.

Verwandte Lektionen

Über den Autor: Raúl Maguiña

Raúl Maguiña ist Leiter der Asociación Educativa Langcom, einem autorisierten Cambridge English-Vorbereitungszentrum in the USA. Mit mehr als einem Jahrzehnt Erfahrung in der Sprachausbildung und der internationalen Zertifizierung hat er Tausenden von Schülern, Lehrern und Bildungseinrichtungen in 25 Ländern zu Cambridge-, IELTS-, TOEFL- und Michigan-Englischzertifikaten verholfen.

Erfahren Sie mehr über Langcom →.

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