Adjectives in Spanish describe or modify nouns, just like in English. The big difference is that Spanish adjectives agree with the nouns they describe, and they usually come after the noun instead of before it.
What Adjectives Do
An adjective adds information about a noun: what it looks like, what it feels like, where it's from, or what condition it's in. In English, adjectives are invariable (tall, tall, tall), but in Spanish they change form to match the noun.
un libro interesante
an interesting book
una casa blanca
a white house
Agreement in Gender and Number
Spanish adjectives must match the noun in two ways:
Most adjectives have four possible endings to cover every combination. These are called four-form adjectives.
| Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine singular | alto | tall (m.) |
| Feminine singular | alta | tall (f.) |
| Masculine plural | altos | tall (m. pl.) |
| Feminine plural | altas | tall (f. pl.) |
Los edificios altos están en el centro.
The tall buildings are downtown.
Position: Usually After the Noun
Unlike English, Spanish adjectives normally come after the noun they describe. This is the default for descriptive adjectives that distinguish one thing from another.
Compré un carro rojo.
I bought a red car.
Es una película aburrida.
It's a boring movie.
Certain adjectives do come before the noun — such as numbers, possessives, and a few common descriptors. For the full picture, see Adjective Position.
Types of Adjectives
Spanish adjectives fall into a few main categories based on their endings:
| Type | Example | Forms |
|---|---|---|
| Four-form (-o/-a) | bonito | bonito, bonita, bonitos, bonitas |
| Two-form (-e) | grande | grande, grandes |
| Two-form (consonant) | fácil | fácil, fáciles |
| Invariable | naranja | naranja (no change) |
Some Adjectives Change Meaning
A few adjectives change meaning depending on whether they come before or after the noun, or whether they're used with ser or estar. For example, un gran hombre means "a great man," while un hombre grande means "a large man."
Es un viejo amigo.
He's an old friend (long-time).
Es un amigo viejo.
He's an elderly friend.
See Adjectives That Change Meaning by Position for more.
Where to Next
- Four-Form Adjectives — the most common pattern
- Two-Form Adjectives — -e and consonant endings
- Adjective Position — when to put them before or after
- Comparatives — making comparisons
Related Topics
- Four-Form Adjectives (-o/-a/-os/-as)A1 — Adjectives ending in -o have four forms that match the noun in gender and number
- Adjective Position (Before vs After)A2 — Most adjectives follow the noun in Spanish, but many common ones precede it
- Comparatives (Más...que, Menos...que)A2 — Comparing two things using más (more) or menos (less) with que (than)
- Grammatical GenderA1 — Every Spanish noun has a gender — masculine or feminine — which affects articles, adjectives, and pronouns