A1 Spanish GrammarBasic Adjectives
Use Spanish adjectives to describe people, places, and things. Learn how adjectives agree in gender and number with nouns, and understand their typical placement after the noun.
1Adjective Agreement
Spanish adjectives must agree with the noun they describe in both gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural). Four-form adjectives end in -o (m.s.), -a (f.s.), -os (m.pl.), -as (f.pl.).
Four-Form Adjectives
| Singular | Plural | |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | alto | altos |
| Feminine | alta | altas |
| Masculine | pequeño | pequeños |
| Feminine | pequeña | pequeñas |
Examples
El chico es alto.
The boy is tall.
masculine singular -o
La chica es alta.
The girl is tall.
feminine singular -a
Los edificios son altos.
The buildings are tall.
masculine plural -os
Las montañas son altas.
The mountains are tall.
feminine plural -as
2Two-Form Adjectives
Adjectives ending in -e or a consonant have only two forms: singular and plural. They don't change for gender. Add -s for -e endings and -es for consonant endings in the plural.
Two-Form Adjectives
| Singular | Plural | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| grande | grandes | big |
| inteligente | inteligentes | intelligent |
| fácil | fáciles | easy |
| difÃcil | difÃciles | difficult |
| azul | azules | blue |
| joven | jóvenes | young |
Examples
Es un problema grande.
It's a big problem.
grande - same for m/f
Ella es muy inteligente.
She is very intelligent.
inteligente - no gender change
Los exámenes son fáciles.
The exams are easy.
fácil → fáciles (plural)
Tienen los ojos azules.
They have blue eyes.
azul → azules (plural)
3Adjective Position
Unlike English, Spanish adjectives usually come AFTER the noun. However, some common adjectives (bueno, malo, grande) can go before the noun, sometimes with shortened forms or changed meaning.
Position Rules
| Position | Type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| after | most adjectives | un coche rojo |
| after | colors | la casa blanca |
| after | nationalities | comida mexicana |
| before | bueno/malo | un buen libro |
| before | grande (=great) | un gran hombre |
| either | some change meaning | un amigo viejo / un viejo amigo |
Examples
Tengo un coche nuevo.
I have a new car.
adjective after noun
Es una buena idea.
It's a good idea.
buena before feminine noun
Es un hombre pobre. (poor=without money)
He's a poor man.
after = lacks money
Es un pobre hombre. (poor=unfortunate)
He's a poor (unfortunate) man.
before = unfortunate
4Common Descriptive Adjectives
Learn these essential adjectives for describing everyday things. Most follow the four-form pattern (-o/-a/-os/-as). Practice using them with different nouns to master agreement.
Common Adjectives
| Spanish | English | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| bueno/a | good | malo/a | bad |
| grande | big | pequeño/a | small |
| nuevo/a | new | viejo/a | old |
| bonito/a | pretty | feo/a | ugly |
| caro/a | expensive | barato/a | cheap |
| rápido/a | fast | lento/a | slow |
Examples
La comida está buena.
The food is good.
estar + adjective (condition)
Mi hermano es muy alto.
My brother is very tall.
muy + adjective
Las flores son bonitas.
The flowers are pretty.
feminine plural agreement
Este restaurante es barato.
This restaurant is cheap.
masculine singular