Adjectives: Agreement and Position
A1–B1Adjectives and adverbs 6 min
Adjectives agree with their noun in gender and number and usually follow it: una casa blanca, unos libros nuevos. An adjective in -o changes to -a / -os / -as with its noun: un chico alto, unas chicas altas
No information at the current level. This view starts at A1: choose A1 or a higher level.
No information at the current level. This view starts at A1: choose A1 or a higher level.
CheatsheetA1–B1
| Point | Rule | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ending in -o | four forms: -o / -a / -os / -as | un libro blanco / unas casas blancas | a white book / some white houses |
| Ending in -e or a consonant | one form for both genders | un examen fácil / una pregunta fácil | an easy exam / an easy question |
| Nationality | a consonant ending adds -a for the feminine | un chico español / una chica española | a Spanish boy / a Spanish girl |
| Plural | -s after a vowel, -es after a consonant | verde → verdes / azul → azules | |
| Position | after the noun as a rule | un vestido rojo | a red dress |
| Mixed group | masculine and feminine nouns together take the masculine plural | Juan y Ana son simpáticos. | Juan and Ana are nice. |
| A2-or | adds -a for the feminine | una mujer trabajadora | a hard-working woman |
| B1buen / mal | bueno and malo drop -o before a masculine singular noun | un buen libro / un mal día | a good book / a bad day |
| B1gran | grande becomes gran before any singular noun and means great | una gran idea / un gran país | a great idea / a great country |
| Trap | the noun's gender decides, even when it ends in -a | el mapa nuevo | the new map |
OverviewA1
- An adjective agrees with its noun in gender and number: el gato negro / las gatas negras — the black cat / the black cats
- Most adjectives go after the noun: Tengo una casa grande. — I have a big house.
- The gender of the noun decides the form: see Gender.
Form: agreementA1–A2
| Adjective | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| -o, masculine | alto | altos |
| -o, feminine | alta | altas |
| -e, both genders | grande | grandes |
| consonant, both genders | azul | azules |
| A2-z, both genders | feliz | felices |
| nationality, masculine | español | españoles |
| nationality, feminine | española | españolas |
- Adjectives in -o have four forms: alto / alta / altos / altas.
- Adjectives in -e or a consonant have one form for both genders: un examen fácil / una pregunta fácil — an easy exam / an easy question
- The plural adds -s after a vowel and -es after a consonant: verde → verdes / azul → azules
- A2-z changes to -ces in the plural: feliz → felices
- Nationalities ending in a consonant add -a for the feminine, and a final accent drops: inglés → inglesa / alemán → alemana
- A2Adjectives in -or also add -a: Mi madre es muy trabajadora. — My mother is very hard-working.
- Masculine and feminine nouns together take the masculine plural: Juan y Ana son simpáticos. — Juan and Ana are nice.
- The noun's gender decides the form, even when the noun ends in -a: el mapa nuevo / el día bonito — the new map / the lovely day
PositionA1–B1
| Position | Use | Example | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| after the noun | the usual place: it tells this thing from others | un vestido rojo | a red dress |
| B1before the noun | buen, mal, gran | Es un buen amigo. | He's a good friend. |
B1
- bueno and malo drop -o before a masculine singular noun: un buen día / un mal momento — a good day / a bad moment
- grande becomes gran before a singular noun of either gender: una gran idea / un gran país — a great idea / a great country
Typical errorsA1–B1
| ✗ | ✓ | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| una casa blanco | una casa blanca | the adjective agrees in gender |
| los libros nuevo | los libros nuevos | the adjective agrees in number |
| el mapa nueva | el mapa nuevo | mapa is masculine: the noun's gender decides |
| Juan y Ana son simpáticas. | Juan y Ana son simpáticos. | a mixed group takes the masculine plural |
| unas chicas inglésas | unas chicas inglesas | the accent of inglés drops when it adds an ending |
| un rojo vestido | un vestido rojo | colours and most adjectives go after the noun |
| B1un bueno libro | un buen libro | bueno drops -o before a masculine singular noun |
| B1una grande idea | una gran idea | grande becomes gran before a singular noun |