Agreement Rules
Spanish agreement rules ensure that words within a sentence match each other in gender (masculine or feminine), number (singular or plural), and person (first, second, third). This agreement occurs mainly between nouns, adjectives, articles, and verbs. Following these rules helps sentences sound natural and clear.
Noun-Adjective Agreement
Adjectives in Spanish must agree with the noun they describe in both gender and number.
- Masculine singular: adjective ends in `-o` (e.g., alto)
- Feminine singular: adjective ends in `-a` (e.g., alta)
- Masculine plural: adjective ends in `-os` (e.g., altos)
- Feminine plural: adjective ends in `-as` (e.g., altas)
- Some adjectives end in -e or a consonant and remain the same for masculine/feminine, adding `-s` for plural (e.g., inteligente, inteligentes)
Examples:
- El niño alto* (masculine singular)
- La niña alta* (feminine singular)
- Los niños altos* (masculine plural)
- Las niñas altas* (feminine plural)
Article-Noun Agreement
Articles (the equivalent of "the" or "a/an" in English) must agree with the noun in gender and number.
Definite Articles (the):
- el — masculine singular
- la — feminine singular
- los — masculine plural
- las — feminine plural
Indefinite Articles (a/an, some):
- un — masculine singular
- una — feminine singular
- unos — masculine plural ("some")
- unas — feminine plural ("some")
Examples:
- la casa* (the house, feminine singular)
- un perro* (a dog, masculine singular)
- las mesas* (the tables, feminine plural)
- unos libros* (some books, masculine plural)
Choose the correct article: 'Hay ___ perros en el parque.'
unos
'Perros' is masculine plural, so use the indefinite article 'unos' for 'some'.
Subject-Verb Agreement
Spanish verbs must change their endings to agree with the subject in person (1st/2nd/3rd) and number (singular/plural). This change is called conjugation.
Present Tense Endings (for -ar verbs, e.g., hablar)
| Pronoun | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|
| yo | hablo | I speak |
| tú | hablas | you speak |
| él/ella/usted | habla | he/she/you formal speak |
| nosotros/as | hablamos | we speak |
| vosotros/as | habláis | you all speak |
| ellos/as/ustedes | hablan | they/you all speak |
Present Tense Endings (for -er verbs, e.g., comer)
| Pronoun | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|
| yo | como | I eat |
| tú | comes | you eat |
| él/ella/usted | come | he/she/you formal eat |
| nosotros/as | comemos | we eat |
| vosotros/as | coméis | you all eat |
| ellos/as/ustedes | comen | they/you all eat |
Present Tense Endings (for -ir verbs, e.g., vivir)
| Pronoun | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|
| yo | vivo | I live |
| tú | vives | you live |
| él/ella/usted | vive | he/she/you formal live |
| nosotros/as | vivimos | we live |
| vosotros/as | vivís | you all live |
| ellos/as/ustedes | viven | they/you all live |
Important Notes
- The verb stem usually remains the same; only the endings change.
- Irregular verbs (like ser, ir, tener) have special patterns but still match the subject.
Complete the sentence: 'Tú ___ (vivir) en México.' (tú, vivir)
vives
'Tú' uses the '-es' ending for -ir verbs, making 'vives' correct.
Special Cases
Collective Nouns
Treat collective nouns (e.g., la gente, el equipo) as singular, even if they refer to multiple people.
- La gente es amable.* (The people are kind.)
Compound Subjects
When the subject includes both masculine and feminine nouns, use masculine plural agreement.
- El niño y la niña son amigos.* (The boy and girl are friends.)
Irregular Adjectives and Pronouns
Some adjectives and pronouns don’t follow the standard rules but still match gender and number.
- el problema difícil*
- las manos pequeñas*
Formal vs. Informal Address
- tú (informal singular) uses third-person* singular verb endings.
- usted (formal singular) also uses third-person* singular verb endings.
- vosotros/as (informal plural in Spain) uses its own second-person plural* endings.
- ustedes (formal plural or plural in Latin America) uses third-person plural* endings.
Summary
- Nouns define gender and number.
- Articles and adjectives mirror the noun’s gender and number.
- Verbs change endings to match subject’s person and number.
- Exceptions (irregulars, collectives) follow predictable patterns.
By following these agreement rules, Spanish sentences become grammatically correct and easy to understand.
Flashcards (1 of 18)
- Pronoun: yo
- English Example: I speak
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
