Noun-adjective agreement is a fundamental rule in Spanish grammar. Adjectives must match the gender and number of the nouns they modify. This means that if the noun is feminine and plural, the adjective must also be feminine and plural, and so on.
Gender Agreement
Adjectives change form depending on whether the noun is masculine or feminine.
- Masculine nouns: Adjectives usually end in -o.
- Feminine nouns: Adjectives usually end in -a.
- Adjectives ending in -e or a consonant remain the same for both genders.
Examples
| Noun (Spanish) | Adjective (Spanish) | Noun + Adjective (Spanish) | Noun + Adjective (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| el libro | blanco | el libro blanco | the white book |
| la mesa | blanca | la mesa blanca | the white table |
| el coche | grande | el coche grande | the big car |
| la casa | grande | la casa grande | the big house |
Translate: 'The white (blanco) _____' with a masculine noun.
el libro blanco
'Libro' is masculine singular, so the adjective remains 'blanco' to match gender.
Number Agreement
Adjectives must also agree with the singular or plural form of the noun.
- Singular nouns: Adjectives remain in their base form.
- Plural nouns: Add -s if the adjective ends in a vowel, -es if it ends in a consonant.
Examples
| Noun (Spanish) | Adjective (Spanish) | Noun + Adjective (Spanish) | Noun + Adjective (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| el gato | negro | el gato negro | the black cat |
| los gatos | negros | los gatos negros | the black cats |
| la flor | azul | la flor azul | the blue flower |
| las flores | azules | las flores azules | the blue flowers |
Combined Agreement
Adjectives change to match both gender and number of the noun.
Examples
| Noun (Spanish) | Adjective (Spanish) | Noun + Adjective (Spanish) | Noun + Adjective (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| el niño | alto | el niño alto | the tall boy |
| la niña | alta | la niña alta | the tall girl |
| los niños | altos | los niños altos | the tall boys |
| las niñas | altas | las niñas altas | the tall girls |
Translate: 'The tall boy' into Spanish.
el niño alto
'Niño' is masculine singular, so the adjective is 'alto' (masculine singular).
Adjectives That Do Not Change
Some adjectives have one form for both masculine and feminine nouns. Only add -s for plural.
Examples
| Noun (Spanish) | Adjective (Spanish) | Noun + Adjective (Spanish) | Noun + Adjective (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| el alumno | inteligente | el alumno inteligente | the intelligent student (m.) |
| la alumna | inteligente | la alumna inteligente | the intelligent student (f.) |
| los alumnos | inteligentes | los alumnos inteligentes | the intelligent students (m.) |
| las alumnas | inteligentes | las alumnas inteligentes | the intelligent students (f.) |
Special Cases
Adjectives Ending in -or, -án, -ón, -és
These adjectives add -a for the feminine form.
Examples
| Masculine | Feminine | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| trabajador | trabajadora | trabajadores | trabajadoras | hardworking |
| bretón | bretona | bretones | bretonas | Breton |
| francés | francesa | franceses | francesas | French |
| pintor | pintora | pintores | pintoras | painter |
Adjectives That Change Meaning Based on Position
- Before noun: Some adjectives have a different or more poetic meaning.
- After noun: Adjective's usual descriptive meaning.
Examples
| Position | Example (Spanish) | Meaning (English) |
|---|---|---|
| antes del sustantivo | un gran hombre | a great man |
| después del sustantivo | un hombre grande | a big man |
Rules Summary
| Rule | Example (Spanish) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|
| Match noun’s gender | la chica rubia | the blond girl |
| Match noun’s number | los chicos rubios | the blond boys |
| Add -s (vowel) / -es (consonant) for plural | casas blancas | white houses |
| Some adjectives don’t change for gender | persona inteligente | intelligent person |
| -or, -án, -ón, -és add -a for feminine | mujer trabajadora | hardworking woman |
Spanish noun-adjective agreement ensures clear and grammatically correct descriptions by aligning adjectives with the gender and number of the nouns they modify.
Flashcards (1 of 23)
- Noun + Adjective (English): the white book
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
