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Dictionary-enhanced word family

Word Forms of “Happy”

Having good feelings; pleased about something that happened or is happening.

Word Family of Happy

What is the noun of happy? — happiness

happiness

What is the adjective of happy? — happy

happy

What is the adverb of happy? — happily

happily

How to Use Each Word Form in a Sentence

  • She is happy to see her family after a long time away. A1
  • The happy children played in the park all afternoon. A2
  • He felt happy because his hard work finally paid off at the office. B1

Word Form Patterns for Happy

-ness

Adds **-ness** to make a noun meaning the state, quality, or condition of being something. Example: happy → happiness.

-ly

Adds **-ly** to make an adverb describing how an action happens. Example: happy → happily.

Origin and Word Formation of Happy

From Old English 'hap' (luck, chance), later 'lucky', then 'happy'.

Common Word Form Mistakes with Happy

Wrong: I am happily when I see my friends.

Correct: I am happy when I see my friends.

After 'be', use adjective 'happy' not adverb 'happily'; happily describes how you do something.

Frequently Asked Questions About Word Forms of Happy

What are the word forms of “happy”?

The confirmed forms are shown in the word family cards above. Missing parts of speech are hidden instead of filled with placeholder text.

What part of speech is “happy”?

“happy” is primarily a adj. Some forms above show how the same root works as other parts of speech.

Where does “happy” come from?

From Old English 'hap' (luck, chance), later 'lucky', then 'happy'.

Explore “Happy” in Other Tools