El coche rojo es rápido.
English: The red car is fast.
- Language
- Spanish
- Level
- A2
- Unit
- Adjetivos
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
In Spanish, 'adjetivos calificativos' are descriptive adjectives. They are words that describe the qualities or characteristics of a noun, like 'big', 'red', or 'happy'.
When to use it
Use 'adjetivos calificativos' to describe how something or someone is, such as color, size, shape, personality, or other qualities.
Key forms
- The adjective usually comes after the noun: una casa bonita.
- Adjectives must agree in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the noun: niño alto / niña alta / niños altos / niñas altas.
- Many adjectives end in -o (masculine) and change to -a (feminine).
Examples
Tengo una casa grande.
English: I have a big house.
Los niños felices juegan en el parque.
English: The happy children play in the park.
La camisa azul es nueva.
English: The blue shirt is new.
Tips
- Remember to match the adjective to the gender and number of the noun.
- Most adjectives go after the noun, not before.
- Some adjectives have irregular forms or do not change for gender.
Exceptions and edge cases
- Some adjectives, like 'grande', do not change for gender but do for number.
- A few adjectives can come before the noun and may change meaning, like 'viejo amigo' (old friend - longtime) vs. 'amigo viejo' (old friend - age).