Gender Agreement
In Spanish, adjectives must agree in gender with the nouns they describe. This means that if a noun is feminine, the adjective must also be in its feminine form, and if the noun is masculine, the adjective must be masculine as well. For example, libro rojo (red book) uses the masculine adjective rojo because libro is masculine, while casa roja (red house) uses the feminine adjective roja because casa is feminine.
Number Agreement
Adjectives also need to agree in number with the nouns. If the noun is plural, the adjective must be plural too. Typically, adding -s or -es to the adjective forms the plural. For example, los libros rojos (the red books) and las casas rojas (the red houses) both show agreement in plurality between the nouns and adjectives.
Placement of Adjectives
Most adjectives in Spanish are placed after the noun they modify, differing from English where adjectives usually come before nouns. For example, niña inteligente means "intelligent girl." Some adjectives can appear before the noun for stylistic or emphatic reasons, but this does not affect agreement rules.
Irregular Agreement Forms
Certain adjectives have irregular forms that don't simply follow the typical gender and number endings. For instance, feliz (happy) becomes felices in the plural for both masculine and feminine nouns. It’s important to learn these exceptions to maintain correct agreement.
Summary Table of Gender and Number Endings
| Gender/Number | Adjective Ending Example | Example Noun | Example Phrase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masculine singular | -o | libro | libro pequeño (small book) |
| Feminine singular | -a | casa | casa pequeña (small house) |
| Masculine plural | -os | libros | libros pequeños (small books) |
| Feminine plural | -as | casas | casas pequeñas (small houses) |
Correct noun-adjective agreement is essential in Spanish for clear and grammatically accurate communication.
