Adjectives in Spanish (the adjectives)

You adjectives in spanish are variable words which have the function of qualifying the nouns, modifying them as they indicate their qualities and/or states.

Thus, adjectives appear before or after nouns, highlight their characteristics and agree with them.

Therefore, they suffer, in some cases, changes in gender (male and female), number (singular and plural) or degree (augmentative and diminutive).

In Latin, the word Adjectivus (adjective) means added, added, that which is added to the name.

Genre of adjectives (genre of adjectives)

In Spanish, there are two genres: feminine and masculine (female y masculine).

As in the Portuguese language, the masculine adjective is usually ending in “o” or “e”. To change an adjective from masculine to feminine, you usually substitute “o” for “a”.

Examples:

beloved > loved

Lucas was loved./Luciana was loved. (Lucas was loved. > Luciana was loved.)

chico > chica

El chico was bored. > La chica was boring. (The boy was upset. > The girl was upset.)

Conductor > teacher

The conductor has started the class. > The maestra has started the class. (The teacher started the class. > The teacher started the class.)

Guapo > handsome

El novio de Cristina es guapo./Antonio's novia is handsomeThe. (Cristina's boyfriend is cute./Antonio's girlfriend is cute.)

feo > female

you are an ugly place./you are a female playa. (It's an ugly place/ It's an ugly beach.)

Note that there are still invariable adjectives (invariable adjectives), that is, they are used regardless of the noun's gender.

Examples:

• La ninã is happy. >El niño is happy. (The girl is happy. > The boy is happy.)
• Julia is fuerte > António is fuerte. (Julia is strong. > António is strong.)

Number of adjectives (number of adjectives)

In general, adjectives also agree with nouns in number (singular and plural). To make this agreement, the letter -s is added.

Examples:

• The house is old. (singular)/ The houses are old. (plural) (The house is old./ The houses are old.)
• the coach is new. (singular)/ The coaches are new. (plural) (The car is new / The cars are new.)

However, there are particular cases where the –z fur –ces.

Examples:

• yo i'm happy. (singular)/we are happy. (plural) (I am happy./We are happy.)
• The measure was effective. (singular)/The most effective measures.(plural) (The measure was effective/The measures were effective.)

Adjective grade (adjective grade)

Adjectives in Spanish suffer degree variation of three types: positive, comparative and superlative.

Positive degree (Positive degree)

The positive degree corresponds to the natural degree of the word, that is, the adjective as it is.

Examples:

• La Falda de Rosa is beautiful. (Rose's skirt is pretty.)
• pablo is smart. (Pablo is smart.)

Comparative degree (comparative degree)

This degree establishes a relation of comparison (superiority, inferiority and equality) that arises between the qualities of beings.

Get to know the 3 subdivisions of the comparative degree:

Comparative degree of superiority (comparative degree of superiority)

The expression "bad than" ("more than" or "more than") is used to express the relationship of superiority established between beings.

Examples:

• Ana is more slender than Julia. (Ana is thinner than Julia.)
• I'm more tired than my brother. (I'm more tired than my brother.)

Comparative degree of inferiority (comparative degree of inferiority)

It consists in using the expression "less than" to express an inferiority relationship.

Examples:

• Juan is less perezoso than Lucas. (Juan is less lazy than Lucas.)
• Paula llegó less later than luis. (Paula arrived less late than Luis.)

Comparative degree of equality (Comparative degree of equality)

The expression "tan as" ("as much as") is used to express an equality relationship.

Examples:

• Diana is tan sensible like Fabiana. (Diana is as sensitive as Fabiana.)
• Pablo is tall like Juan. (Pablo is as tall as Juan.)

Superlative degree (Superlative degree)

Modality that corresponds to the increase in intensity when assigning qualification. Subdivide in degree absolute superlative and degree relative superlative.

Absolute superlative degree (Absolute superlative degree)

Expresses the maximum degree (absolute superlative degree of superiority) or minimum (absolute superlative degree of inferiority) noun quality

Absolute superlative degree of superiority (Absolute superlative degree of superiority)

It is formed by the addition of the suffixes “-ísimo/-ísima/-rimo”, or by the preposition of the adverb “muy”.

Examples:

• The concert was good > The concert was very good. (The concert was good. > The concert was great.)
• The pie is good.> The pie is very good. (The cake is good. > The cake is very good.)
• This has an acrid odor. > This has a bitter odor. (This has an acrid smell. > This has an acrid smell.)
• My vecino is poor. > My vecino is extremely poor. (My neighbor is poor. > My neighbor is very poor.)
• the movies are good. > The movies are very good. (Is the movie good. > The movie is very good.)
• she is poor. > she is very poor. (She is poor. > She is very poor.)

Absolute superlative degree of inferiority (absolute superlative degree of inferiority)

It is formed by the addition of the suffixes "-ísimo/-ísima" + negative adjective, by the preposition of "(muy) poco" + positive adjective or by prefixing the prefixes “-re”, “super”, “-requete” and “-hipo” + adjective negative.

Examples:

• The concert was boring. > El consciento was aburridísimo. (The concert was boring. > The concert was really boring.)
• the pie is suitcase.> The pie is bad. (The cake is bad. > The cake looks terrible.)
• His vecino is guapo. > His vecino is beautiful. (His/her neighbor is beautiful > His/her neighbor is beautiful.)
• he is nice. > he is very unfriendly. (He's nice > He's not very nice.)
• The work is interesting. > The work is not very interesting. (The work is interesting > The work is not very interesting.)
• The mother-in-law of Fernanda is fea. > La suegra de Fernanda is refea/superfea/requetefea. (Fernanda's mother-in-law is ugly. > Fernanda's mother-in-law is super ugly.)
• These galletas are caloric. > These galletas are low-calorie. (These cookies are caloric. > These cookies are low in calories.)

Relative superlative degree (Relative superlative degree)

Like the absolute superlative adjectives, the relative superlative expresses qualities of superiority (Superlative degree of superiority, in Spanish) and of inferiority (superlative grade of inferiority, in Spanish) in its maximum degree, however, when establishing a relationship with others names.

Thus, it is constituted by the bad/lesser particles preceded by articles (articles) that are male (el, los,) or female (la, las).

Examples:

• Joaquina is the most happy of the girls. (Joaquina is the happiest of girls.)
• José is least interested in the classes. (José is the least interested in classes).

Apocope (Apocope)

In Latin, the term "apocalypse" (apokóptō) means “amputation”. It corresponds to the process of suppressing some final letters or syllables from some words.

Apocope occurs in certain adjectives, usually when they appear before nouns.

Examples:

• Armando es a hombre bueno > Armando es un good hombre. (Armando is a good man. > Armando is a good man.)
• Diego you are a big guy. > Diego is a big boy. (Diego is a big boy. > Diego is a big boy.)
• Tiempo malo para mañana. > bad time for morning. (Bad weather for tomorrow. > Bad weather for tomorrow.)
• Pablo was the first one I got. > Pablo was the first student who came to. (Pablo was the first to arrive > Pablo was the first student to arrive.)
• With us vecino no one. > With us no one vecino. (I don't know any neighbors. > I don't know any neighbors.)
• There is no reason to cry. > Is there any reason to cry?).

Adjective types and examples (adjective types and examples)

Below are some types and examples of adjectives in Spanish.

Personality adjectives (personality adjectives)

Indicate the character of people.

Examples:

• bored (bored)
• happy
• kind
• cruel
• educated
• courteous (courteous)
• sensible (sensitive)
• quiet
• vanity (vain)
• noble (noble)
• lazy (lazy)

You are a very perezoso child. (It's a very lazy boy)

Possessive Adjectives (Possessive Adjectives)

They indicate the ownership of something, that is, they express the ownership of something.

Examples:

• my
• mia
• tuyo
• tuya
• suyo
• suya
• nuestro
• nuestra
• vuestro
• vuestra

Note the following sentences:

• La casa es mia. (The house is mine)
• the book is suyo. (The book is yours).
• These carpets are tuyas.(These folders are yours.)

In this case, it is important to highlight that possessive adjectives may appear before and after nouns; when they appear before nouns they suffer the apocope (suppression of the final letter or syllable).

Examples:

• Su libro is new. (Your book is new.)
• My house is old. (My house is old.)
• Your schedule is full. (Your schedule is full.)

Patrician or gentile adjectives (patriotic or gentilicios adjectives)

They are those who designate the nationalities.

Examples:

• brazilian/brazilian
• Portuguese/portuguese
• spanish/spanish
• English/English
• French/french

Your priest is Polish and your mother is Portuguese. (His father is Polish and mother is Portuguese.)

Note that in the formation of the feminine, the patriotic adjectives that end in a consonant, add “-a”.

Invariable adjectives (invariable adjectives)

Adjectives that do not vary by gender.

Examples:

• lovely
• strong
• happy
• happy
• Special
• sad
• easy
• weak
• smaller
• major
• great

Marta is a very special person. Luis is special like Marta. (Marta is a very special person. Luis is as special as Marta.)

Cognate false adjectives

There are some adjectives that are called “false cognates”, since in both languages ​​(Spanish and Portuguese) the word is close to writing or sound, however, they have meanings distinct.

Examples:

• graceful (funny)
• ruby (blonde)
• weak (weak)
• flacco (skinny)
• wide (long)

La chica was disgusted. (The girl was angry).

Adjective locution (adjectival locution)

An adjective phrase is the union of two or more words that take care of the adjective's function.

Examples:

• Mi padre es fuerte like a toro. (My father is strong as a bull.) = very strong
• Our house is like a temple. (Our house is like a temple.) = big like a temple

Adjective list (adjective list)

Below is a table with a list of the main adjectives in Spanish and their respective translations into Portuguese.

adjective in spanish	Portuguese translation
bored	boring
ancho	broad
down	low
hot	hot
glad	happy
slender	skinny
sweet	candy
sick	sick
exquisite	great; delicious
ugly	ugly
handsome	beautiful
handsome	cool
helate	ice cold
wide	long
full	full
malo	bad
new	new
dark	dark
worse	worse
dangerous	dangerous
little	little
heavy	heavy; boring
rare	rare; exceptional
simple	simple
viejo	old

video (video)

Watch the video below with a summary of the use of adjectives in Spanish.

ADJECTIVES | Summary of Spanish for Enem

Exercises (exercises)

1. (UECE/2014)

The pianist who dances to the music

¹ Yuja Wang (Pekin 1987) has the look ² of a punk ballerina con su by her cut and ³ rebellious and her black dress, and her mocking ⁴ mism color, and lofty tacones. Y when ⁵ she plays the piano her fingers glide like you ⁶ they danced on top of the keys, sensibles before the ⁷ romanticism of Chopin's vals, energetic ⁸ before a jazz interpretation with “Tea for ⁹ two" and passionate to address the roots of it ¹⁰ classical music that takes root with Spain with ¹¹ “Carmen” by Bizet.

¹² For her 27 years, the pianist is one of them ¹³ sensations of classical music scene, ¹⁴ a figure capable of attracting new audiences and ¹⁵ inspire vocations. she was the protagonist ¹⁶ ayer of the second delivery of the cycle ¹⁷ Visionaries sponsored by Banco Sabadell, ¹⁸ in a dialogue with journalists Jesús Ruiz ¹⁹ Mantilla, from EL COUNTRY, and Javier del Pino, from la ²⁰ cadena SER, carried out in the auditorium 400 ²¹ del Museo Reina Sofia.

It identifies the gradation of the adjective “altísimos” (Ref. 04).

a) Comparative of excellence.
b) Synthetic absolute superlative.
c) Comparative of superiority.
d) Analytical superlative.

See Answer

Correct alternative: b) Synthetic absolute superlative.

2. (UFT/2009)

5 Hours of Pure Adrenaline

Bike tour along the Yungas route

If you are a cyclist who loves adventure and challenges, the path to death can be a good option during your stay in Bolivia. The old route to Yungas, to the north-east of the city of La Paz, has become, for a few years, a very popular attraction for those seeking adrenaline-filled experiences. If you count those who have lived in their own flesh, the tour is worth every penny. It's a little frightening, but incredible.

What is popular on the Camino de la Muerte? No matter how many times we ask it, it seems impossible to find a precise answer. Perhaps the combination of different factors is what attracts visitors. This route, however, was famous long before tour companies offered tours on bicycles.

On a land road that has 3 meters of depth and edge, precipices of 300 meters in depth, landslides and busses were frequent, especially during the rainy season. In 1995, Yungas was named the most dangerous path in the world by the Inter-American Development Bank. However, it is not only the danger that attracts visitors. The geographical characteristics of the area form an impressive landscape of precipices, rivers and waterfalls that are combined with an exuberant vegetation. Presumably, more than one person, it is worth stopping on the tour and enjoying the view.

_{ARDAYA, Maria Teresa/puntoycoma. Habla!. São Paulo: Editora Peixes, n. 7, year 1, septiembre 2008, p. 30-31.}

Sign the sequence where all the words are adjectives, according to the text:

a) frequent, poco, good, mucho.
b) popular, famous, dangerous, impressive.
c) own, need, different, bad.
d) exuberant, good, old, popular.

See Answer

Correct alternative: d) exuberant, good, old, popular.

3- (UFU/2001)

ILDEFONSO OLMEDO

The chavales approach and resort to the route. It seems that they wandered around looking for answers. If you look at each other and walk down, just put your sport shoes on the cliffs and down between the rails. The old road in disuse of Humans, south of Madrid, has become a place of pilgrimage for teenagers from the moon past at 13 hours and minutes. A bunch of flowers, joined to a Red cartel by Ferrocarriles Españoles (P.K.23,300. Line Madrid/Valencia) marks the exact place where the suicide carrera del quinceañero David crossed with it Talgo Triana which, coming from Badajoz and Cádiz to Barcelona, ​​travels over 100 kilometers by hour. Le llamaban El Gusi, "for the muñeco de la tele al that the head is energized", index someone from his age to another, then corrects: "Gusi for gusanillo, for the flaco and enclenque that was". Canijo, larguirucho and with a huge pie. David C. A. he calzaba un 46. In the moons she wore a black dress shirt and a black Simpson t-shirt. She wore huge blue zapatillas, some blue and white rocks. Las mismas que her stepfather, in the grip of a nervous crisis for which she needed to be attended to, she finally recognized among the bloody vías del tren. A 16-year-old girl who traveled through the “La hija de Ana” area, identifying the vecinos, terrified the entire final scene. Ella saw him run to the train.

Pass the minutes of la una la afternoon. David, instead of crossing the railroad tracks through the underground step, entered the walled area of ​​the Andén by a route port and waited for the convoy. In a pocket of the pantalón of the floor he carried, from the time he came, the notes he did not want his fathers to never see.

_{(EL MUNDO / April 15, 2001)}

The adjectives "canijo", "larguirucho" and "enclenque" mean, respectively,

a) short – broad – troublemaker
b) weakened - long - weak
c) strong – large – curved
d) sheepish - fat - hunchback

See Answer

Correct alternative: b) weakened - long - weak

4. (UFPB/1994)

“… la fame, la glory…”

“Since seven years ago, when they invited me to give a talk or a conference, I could hardly refrain from uttering a word: “immortalidad”, which causes certain smiles among the public, as one thinks: ‘¿Pero de qué va este niño, this señorito?’ Give me exactly equal. In the concept of a persona who paints, there is a cine for the scribe who does not wish to last longer than he is”.

_{(Interview: Javier Carcía Sánchez. Tribune Madrid, p.108, Nov. 18 to 24, 1991.)}

The “pronouns/adjectives” used in the blanks _____ smiles, _____ that provokes, niño ____ and public ______, follow the following sequence:

a) suyas - lo - este - alguno.
b) sus - lo - este - algún.
c) suyas - el - este - algún.
d) sus - el - este - alguno.
e) sus - lo - est - alguno.

See Answer

Correct alternative: e) sus - lo - este - alguno.

5. (ACAFE/2016)

LA ESCLAVA

A Muslim king fell locally in love with a young slave and ordered her to be moved to a palace. He had projected to marry her and make her her favorite wife. But, in a mysterious way, the young woman fell seriously ill the same day that she put her feet in the palace.

Her state was getting progressively worse. She applied all the remedies known to her, but without success. And the poor muchacha was now debating between life and death. Desperate, he offered the mitad of his kingdom to which he was able to cure her. But nadie tried to cure an illness that had never been found to remedy the best doctors in the kingdom.

Finally, a hakeem was presented and he wanted to see the young man on the soles. After talking to her one hour, he presented himself before the king, who had been waiting anxiously for her dictamen.

“Majestad”, says el hakim, “la truth is that I have an infallible remedy for la muchacha. I am sure of his effectiveness that, if he did not succeed, he would be willing to be beheaded. Ahora bien, el remedio I propose will be seen that it is extremely painful but no para la muchacha, bell for you, Majesty”.

“!Di que remedio es ése!” scream el rey, “y le will be applied. Cures what you do”.

El hakim miró compassionately al rey y le dijo: “La muchacha is in love with one of the servants.

Dadle I have given permission to marry him and she will heal immediately”.

Poor king…! He wanted too much a la muchacha to let it go. But he loved her too much to let her die.

_{ANTHONY DE MELO. The corner of the bird. Editorial LUMEN, Buenos Aires, 1982, p. 200-201.}

It examines the following propositions and executes what is then found in relation to the subrayed word.

I. The patient whose cure despairs is a unattached.
II. The doctors who treated the patient before the hakeem were only embaucators.
III. Lo opuesto a la polygamy es la monogamy.
IV. Who fails is a failure, who has success, excited.
V. Infallible, in context, is synonymous with effective.

Which is the alternative with all the correct ones?

a) IV - V
b) III - IV
c) II - III - V
d) I - III - V

See Answer

Correct alternative: d) I - III - V

See too:

• months of the year in spanish
• Spanish verbs exercises
• Exercises on definite and indefinite articles in Spanish
• 10 Spanish expressions you need to know
• Spanish language grammar
• Personal Pronouns in Spanish
• Spanish demonstrative pronouns