Descriptive adjectives in Spanish are words that describe nouns by giving more information about their color, size, shape, personality, or other qualities. They must agree in gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) with the noun they modify.
Agreement Rules
Descriptive adjectives must match the noun in both gender and number:
- Masculine singular: adjective ends in -o or consonant (e.g., alto, fácil).
- Feminine singular: change -o to -a, or add -a if it ends in consonant (e.g., alta, fácil).
- Masculine plural: add -s if vowel ending, -es if consonant (e.g., altos, fáciles).
- Feminine plural: add -as or -es (e.g., altas, fáciles).
Examples
| Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| alto | alta | altos | altas | tall |
| pequeño | pequeña | pequeños | pequeñas | small |
| fácil | fácil | fáciles | fáciles | easy |
| trabajador | trabajadora | trabajadores | trabajadoras | hardworking |
Position of Adjectives
Most descriptive adjectives come after the noun:
- una casa blanca* (a white house)
- un chico simpático* (a nice boy)
Some adjectives can come before the noun, adding emphasis or changing meaning:
- un gran hombre* (a great man)
- una pobre mujer* (a poor woman, meaning "unfortunate")
Common Descriptive Adjectives
| Spanish | Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| color | rojo | roja | red | un vestido rojo* (a red dress) |
| size | grande | grande | big | una casa grande* (a big house) |
| personality | amable | amable | kind | una persona amable* (a kind person) |
| appearance | guapo | guapa | good-looking | un chico guapo* (a good-looking boy) |
Translate: "a red dress"
un vestido rojo
"Vestido" is masculine singular, so "rojo" must agree in masculine singular form.
Irregular Adjectives
Some adjectives have irregular forms:
| Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| feliz | feliz | felices | felices | happy |
| inteligente | inteligente | inteligentes | inteligentes | intelligent |
| trabajador | trabajadora | trabajadores | trabajadoras | hardworking |
How do you form the plural of "feliz"?
felices
"Feliz" is a consonant-ending adjective; add -es for the plural.
Summary
- Descriptive adjectives describe qualities of nouns.
- They must agree in gender and number.
- They usually come after the noun.
- Some change meaning depending on position.
- Irregular adjectives follow their own rules.
Descriptive adjectives help make your Spanish more vivid and precise.
Flashcards (1 of 4)
- Masculine Singular: rojo
- Feminine Singular: roja
- Meaning: red
- Example: un vestido rojo (a red dress)
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
