Esta marcha es muy corta.

to be

Breakdown of Esta marcha es muy corta.

• muy: very
• corto: short
• este: this

Questions & Answers about Esta marcha es muy corta.

Why is it esta and not este?

Because marcha is a feminine singular noun.

In Spanish, words like this must agree with the noun they go with:

• este = masculine singular
• esta = feminine singular
• estos = masculine plural
• estas = feminine plural

So:

• esta marcha
• but este libro

Even though this does not change in English, Spanish demonstratives do.

Why is it corta and not corto?

For the same reason: corta has to agree with marcha, which is feminine singular.

Spanish adjectives usually change to match the noun:

• marcha corta = short march/walk
• viaje corto = short trip

Here the pattern is:

• marcha = feminine singular
• therefore corta = feminine singular

If the noun were plural, it would become cortas:

• Estas marchas son muy cortas.

Why does it use es and not está?