Using Adjectives to Describe Gender and Number

Using Adjectives to describe :gender

Adjectives describe nouns. Like articles, they must match the noun they

describe in gender. In Spanish, adjectives usually follow the

noun.

Using Adjectives to describe :gender

Masculine adjectives often end in –o.– El chico guapo.

Feminine adjectives often end in –a. – La chica guapa.

Most adjectives that end with –e match both genders.

– El chico paciente La chica paciente Many adjectives that end in a consonant match both

genders. – El chico fenomenal La chica fenomenal

Some add –a to become feminine. – El chico trabajador La chica trabajadora.

Using adjectives to describe: number

Adjectives must also match the number of the nouns they describe.

To make an adjective plural, add –s if it ends with a vowel, -es if it ends with a consonant. – Los chicos guapos. Las chicas guapas. – Los chicos fenomenales. Las chicas

fenomenales.

Using adjectives to describe: number

When an adjective describes a group with both genders, the masculine form of the adjective is used.

El chico y la chica son guapos.