Log inSign up

Es un problema muy grande.

Es un problema muy grande.
It is a very big problem.
From Lesson 5:Indefinite articles (un, una, unos, unas)·Spanish (Spain)

Questions & Answers about Es un problema muy grande.

Why do we use un instead of una? Doesn't problema end in an 'a'?
Most Spanish words ending in 'a' are feminine, but problema is a famous exception! It is actually a masculine noun. Because of this, we must use the masculine indefinite article un instead of una. Other common masculine words ending in 'a' include idioma and mapa.
Where is the word for 'it' in this sentence?
In Spanish, you usually do not need a word for 'it' because the verb itself tells you who or what is doing the action. The verb es means 'is', but it already has 'he', 'she', or 'it' built into it. Starting the sentence with Es perfectly translates to 'It is'.
Why are the words in the order un problema muy grande instead of un muy grande problema?
In English, we put adjectives (describing words like 'big') before the noun. In Spanish, the rule is the opposite: adjectives usually come right after the noun they describe. So, 'a very big problem' is phrased as 'a problem very big' (un problema muy grande).
Since problema is masculine, shouldn't grande change to a masculine form?
Grande is already the correct form! Adjectives that end in the letter 'e' (like grande or inteligente) are gender-neutral. They stay exactly the same whether they are describing a masculine or a feminine noun. You only need to change them if the noun is plural (by adding an 's').

Learn Es un problema muy grande and more in Spanish

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free
Start learning Spanish →