Build Useful Descriptions with Adjective Agreement
Accurate descriptions match adjectives to the noun's gender and number. Practise regular endings, adjectives ending in e, and natural placement through details that actually identify something.
Learning objective
Make descriptive adjectives agree with singular and plural nouns in practical contexts.
Adjective agreement is the form an adjective takes to match a noun's grammatical gender, a noun class that is not a person's identity, and number, meaning singular or plural. Una mochila roja and dos bolsos rojos show both matches.
Many adjectives ending in -o use -a with a feminine singular noun, then add -s for plurals: un cuarto luminoso, una casa luminosa, cuartos luminosos, casas luminosas. Check the noun first, because the noun controls the descriptive form.
Adjectives ending in -e often keep that ending with masculine and feminine singular nouns: un hotel grande and una habitación grande. Add -s for plural grandes. Other endings have their own patterns, so do not force every adjective into an -o/-a pair.
Spanish descriptive adjectives usually follow the noun in the practical patterns taught here. Choose details that identify something: la puerta azul beside la puerta grande distinguishes colour from size. Placement can affect nuance in advanced usage, but noun plus adjective is a dependable starting order.
Examples
Busco una maleta pequeña y resistente.
I'm looking for a small, sturdy suitcase.
Pequeña changes for maleta; resistente keeps its -e form.
Los edificios modernos están junto al río.
The modern buildings are beside the river.
Modernos matches a masculine plural noun.
Necesitamos dos habitaciones grandes.
We need two large rooms.
Grande adds -s but has no masculine-feminine change.
La entrada principal tiene puertas blancas.
The main entrance has white doors.
Blancas agrees with the feminine plural puertas.
Common mistake
- Instead of
- Hay dos casas blanco y un edificio modernas.
- Try
- Hay dos casas blancas y un edificio moderno.
Blancas matches feminine plural casas, while moderno matches masculine singular edificio. Each adjective follows its own noun; the nearby plural form cannot determine the ending for the second description.
Practice
Try it yourself
Identify the correct luggage in Spanish. Describe one large red suitcase, two small green backpacks, and a sturdy black bag. Use complete noun phrases and make every adjective agree.