Learn Spanish (Spain): El coche nuevo es rojo y rápido.

El coche nuevo es rojo y rápido.

The new car is red and fast.

Breakdown of El coche nuevo es rojo y rápido.

new / another, different (before the noun)

Questions & Answers about El coche nuevo es rojo y rápido.

Why do nuevo, rojo, and rápido all end in -o?

They are describing coche (car), which is a masculine singular noun. Adjectives in Spanish must match the gender and number of the noun they describe. If we were talking about a feminine noun like la bicicleta (the bicycle), these adjectives would change their endings to match: nueva, roja, and rápida.

How do I know coche is masculine if it ends in -e?

Nouns ending in -e can be either masculine or feminine, so you usually have to memorize the gender when you learn the word. However, a great clue in this sentence is the word el (the) right before it, which is the masculine singular word for "the".

Why is the word order el coche nuevo instead of el nuevo coche?

In English, descriptive adjectives come before the noun ("new car"). In Spanish, descriptive adjectives almost always come after the noun. So you are literally saying "the car new".

Why does the sentence use es for "is"? Couldn't we use está?

We use es (from the verb ser) because we are describing inherent, lasting characteristics of the car. It is fundamentally a red, fast car. We would use está (from the verb estar) for temporary states or locations, such as if the car were dirty or parked in the garage.