Creating Nouns with "-ez"
When you want to talk about abstract qualities like "shyness" or "simplicity," Spanish often uses the suffix -ez. You can attach this to adjectives to create abstract nouns.
These nouns are always feminine and take the article la.
| The boy's shyness is a problem, which bothers his parents. | La timidez del niño es un problema, lo cual molesta a sus padres. |
| I love the simplicity of this novel. | Me encanta la sencillez de esta novela. |
| The boss doesn't see the stupidity of the plan. | El jefe no ve la estupidez del plan. |
Describing Qualities with "-ura"
Another common suffix for forming abstract nouns from adjectives is -ura. This acts a lot like the English suffix "-ness" (as in "sweetness" or "bitterness").
Just like with -ez, words ending in -ura are feminine nouns.
| She sings with a sweetness that the audience loves. | Ella canta con una dulzura que le encanta al público. |
| The waiter tastes the coffee's bitterness. | El camarero prueba la amargura del café. |
| I love the freshness of this salad. | Me encanta la frescura de esta ensalada. |
The Equivalent of "-ity": "-idad"
If an English abstract noun ends in "-ity" (like "utility" or "complexity"), its Spanish equivalent almost certainly ends in -idad.
These are also feminine nouns. Be aware of spelling changes when the base adjective ends in -z (like feliz); the z changes to a c before adding the suffix (felicidad).
| The teacher demonstrates the concept's usefulness. | La profesora demuestra la utilidad del concepto. |
| The boy's happiness is important. | La felicidad del niño es importante. |
| The mind's complexity interests me. | Me interesa la complejidad de la mente. |
Virtues and Variations
As you discuss human nature, you will encounter slight variations of these suffixes, such as -eza (as in tristeza) and -edad (as in soledad). Regardless of the exact ending, they behave just like the others: they describe abstract concepts and are always feminine.
| He sings to forget his sadness. | Él canta para olvidar su tristeza. |
| That man had a lot of good sense; however, he lost his sanity. | Ese hombre tenía mucha sensatez; sin embargo, perdió la cordura. |
| It is difficult to maintain good sense in solitude. | Es difícil mantener la sensatez en la soledad. |
