Position of Spanish Adjectives
Spanish adjectives may be found before or after the nouns they
modify, depending on various factors. Generally speaking, descriptive adjectives
follow nouns, while limiting adjectives (which includes all other kinds, such as
demonstrative,
indefinite, etc.) precede nouns.
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I. |
Descriptive adjectives distinguish between different nouns of the
same type and follow the nouns they modify: el libro verde vs el libro
rojo. Exceptions and notes: |
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A. |
When two descriptive adjectives modify the same noun,
they may |
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1) |
be joined by y |
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la chica alta y bonita |
the tall, beautiful girl |
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el libro emocionante e interesante |
the thrilling and interesting book |
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2) |
surround the noun, with the shorter or less important
adjective preceding the noun. |
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el joven inmigrante marroquí |
the young Moroccan immigrant |
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un típico restaurante turístico |
a typical tourist restaurant |
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B. |
When a descriptive adjective indicates an
inherent quality of a noun, it may precede |
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la blanca nieve |
the white snow |
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los altos picos |
the tall peaks |
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C. |
When a descriptive adjective expresses
subjectivity, it precedes |
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el mejor restaurante |
the best restaurant |
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Es una mala idea. |
It's a bad idea. |
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| II. |
Limiting adjectives specify which nouns are
under discussion and precede the nouns they modify: este libro vs
ese libro. Exceptions: |
| |
A. |
The
long forms of possessive adjectives always follow the nouns they
modify. |
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un amigo mío |
a friend of mine |
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el libro tuyo |
your book |
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B. |
Ordinal numbers may follow the noun in
order to emphasize it. |
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la casa segunda |
the second house |
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las fiestas primeras |
the first parties |
Introduction to Adjectives
Adjectives Index
More Spanish Grammar
Spanish for Beginners
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