Descriptive Adjectives
Adjectives in Spanish color and shape meaning by describing nouns with quality, quantity, or other traits. This guide focuses on adjectives that paint a vivid picture rather than those that simply classify or quantify.
Agreement
Adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. This means changing the adjective ending to match masculine/feminine and singular/plural forms.
Placement
Adjectives typically follow the noun in Spanish, though some adjectives come before for emphasis or changing meaning. Pay attention to whether an adjective is bueno versus buen, or whether placing it before the noun adds a poetic touch.
Adjectives That Agree in Gender
Most descriptive adjectives change their ending to match the noun's gender: typically -o for masculine and -a for feminine. This pattern applies to adjectives that describe concrete qualities like color, size, and shape.
| Spanish Word(s) | English Word(s) |
|---|---|
| gato negro | black cat (masc.) |
| gata negra | black cat (fem.) |
| perro pequeño | small dog (masc.) |
| perra pequeña | small dog (fem.) |
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🌞 El cuadro está brillante y colorido. | The painting is bright and colorful. |
| 🌜 La imagen está suave y tenue. | The image is soft and dim. |
Adjectives That Are Neutral in Gender
Some adjectives end in -e or a consonant and keep the same form for both masculine and feminine nouns. These adjectives often describe more general qualities like color (grande), temperament, or condition.
| Spanish Word(s) | English Word(s) |
|---|---|
| coche grande | big car (masc.) |
| casa grande | big house (fem.) |
| persona fuerte | strong person (fem./masc.) |
| árbol fuerte | strong tree (masc.) |
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🖼️ La obra es interesante y elegante. | The work is interesting and elegant. |
| 🖌️ El estilo es moderno y minimalista. | The style is modern and minimalist. |
Adjectives That Agree in Number
Adjectives add -s or -es to agree with plural nouns. If an adjective ends in a vowel, add -s; if it ends in a consonant, add -es. This rule applies whether the adjective is masculine, feminine, or neutral in gender.
| Spanish Word(s) | English Word(s) |
|---|---|
| gatos negros | black cats (masc.) |
| casas grandes | big houses (fem.) |
| perros fuertes | strong dogs (masc.) |
| personas fuertes | strong people (fem.) |
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🌈 Las pinturas son vibrantes y alegres. | The paintings are vibrant and cheerful. |
| 🌧️ Las imágenes están oscuras y melancólicas. | The images are dark and melancholic. |
Special Adjectives
Some adjectives have short forms that come before the noun and longer forms that come after, changing the nuance. Adjectives like bueno, malo, gran (from grande), primero and último often appear in their short form when placed before the noun.
| Short Form | Long Form | Example (Short) | Example (Long) | Meaning Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| buen | bueno | buen día | día bueno | good / good (emph.) |
| mal | malo | mal amigo | amigo malo | bad / bad (emph.) |
| gran | grande | gran mujer | mujer grande | great / large |
| primer | primero | primer día | día primero | first / first (order) |
| último | último | último tren | tren último | last / last (order) |
| Spanish Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🔍 El primer plano es claro. | The foreground is clear. |
| 🌫️ El fondo es difuso. | The background is blurry. |
| 🎨 El color rojo vive en la tela. | The red color lives on the canvas. |
| ⚪ Una luz blanca ilumina la escena. | A white light illuminates the scene. |
Summary
Descriptive adjectives give vivid detail by agreeing in gender and number with the noun and by placement that can affect meaning. Learn which adjectives are neutral, which have special short forms, and practice switching endings to match nouns for clear, natural descriptions.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025