In Chapter 1, you learned that definite and indefinite articles (el/la, los/las, un/una, unos/unas) must agree in number and gender with the noun they modify. The same is true of descriptive adjectives. Adjectives must agree in gender (masculine / feminine) and number (singular / plural) with the noun they describe. In order to make adjectives agree with the noun they describe, change the ending to reflect the number and gender of the noun they modify.
Concordancia del género del adjetivo |
If an adjective describes a masculine noun, the adjective must take the masculine ending. If an adjective describes a feminine noun, the adjective must take the feminine ending. |
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Ejemplos:
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Concordancia del número del adjetivo |
When adjectives describe a plural noun or multiple nouns, the adjective must be changed to the plural form. Just like with articles and subject pronouns, if adjectives describe a group of masculine and feminine nouns, the masculine form of the adjective is used. |
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Ejemplos:
*Joven (young) is our only adjective for now that adds an accent to the plural form. |
Posición de los adjetivos |
In Spanish, descriptive adjectives follow the noun they describe rather than preceding the noun, as in English.
Adjectives of quantity, however, will precede the noun they modify.
Some adjectives may be used before or after the noun they describe. Three of these adjectives are bueno (good), malo (bad), and grande (big, large). When bueno and malo are used before a singular masculine noun, they shorten to buen and mal.
When grande is used before any noun, singular or feminine, it is shortened to gran. However, grande changes meaning depending upon the position relative to the noun. When grande follows the noun, it means big/large, but when gran is used before the noun, it means great/famous.
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Listado de adjetivos |
When you are listing multiple adjectives to describe a particular noun, you can use commas, y (and), or o (or). Note that each adjective must reflect the number and gender of the noun it describes.
When y is used before a word beginning in i or hi, change the y to e.
When o is used before a word beginning in o or ho change the o to u.
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Actividades de conversación |
Describe each person below using as many physical descriptions as you can. (The image in this activity is sourced from openclipart.org, licence CC-PD.)
Combine the nouns and adjectives below to form descriptions of the people and objects. Remember to use the correct forms of ser and make nouns and adjectives agree.
Nouns | Adjectives |
El libro de español El/La profesor(a) de español Mi compañero(a) de cuarto La clase de español Mis amigos y yo Yo La universidad de Gettysburg |
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Complete the following statements expressing your own opinion regarding the ideal characteristics for the following subjects.
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