2.3: Adjetivos

Last updated
Save as PDF

Page ID: 154948

\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

In this section, you will see many adjectives useful in describing personality or other similar inherent characteristics using the verb “ser.”

Translations are not included for most of them, because they are cognates (words that look similar in two languages and have similar meanings.) Practice making guesses as to what the words mean. If you cannot think of a similar word in English, look the word up at www.wordreference.com or spanishdict.com You may also expand your English vocabulary in the process.

In the below list of adjectives, notice how some of the words end in @. This is because in Spanish, adjectives must match gender and number with what they describe. The @ symbol lets you know that the word can end in either ¨o¨ or ¨a¨. The @ symbol is not used in formal writing. It can be used informally and is used here as a teaching tool. ¨O¨ is for masculine and ¨a¨ is for feminine. Notice that words that end in ¨or¨ have an ¨a¨ added at the end to make them feminine. Notice that some adjectives do not change form based on gender. Examples of words that do not change are ¨liberal¨ and ¨optimista.¨ Adjectives that end in ¨ista¨ do not change. To make an adjective plural: – If it ends in a vowel, add and ¨s.¨ – If it ends in a consonant, add ¨es.¨ – It it ends in a ¨z,¨ change the ¨z¨ to a ¨c¨ and add ¨es.¨

Descripciones de personalidad

arrogante	humilde
inteligente	estúpid@, tont@
simpátic@, agradable, amable	antipátic@
compasiv@	cruel, malicios@
creativ@, imaginativ@, soñador/a
normal	abnormal
conservador/a	liberal
trabajador/a	perezos@
activ@	inactiv@
informal	formal
cómic@	seri@
honest@	deshonest@
extrovertid@, gregari@	introvertid@, tímid@, reservad@
tranquil@, calmad@	ansios@, nervios@, explosiv@
leal	desleal
alegre, feliz	triste
optimista realista	pesimista
atlétic@, fuerte	débil
aburrid@	interesante, estimulante, divertid@
apasionad@	indiferente,
ambicios@	desinteresad@
caótic@	metódic@
desorganizad@	organizad@, precis@
discret@	indiscret@, chismos@
excéntric@	normal
egoísta	generos@
valiente	cobarde

Using adjectives in sentences with the verb ¨ser¨ in descriptions of inherent characteristics

Ejemplos \(\PageIndex{1}\)

Ana María: Yo soy creativa y generosa. ¿Cómo eres tú?

Miguel: Yo soy cómico y extrovertido.

Thinking about the grammar

Note that Ana María uses the feminine form of the adjectives to refer to herself, while Miguel uses the masculine.

What verb is used with descriptions of inherent characteristics. Notice the ¨soy¨ and ¨eres.¨ They are forms of the verb ¨ser¨ (to be)

Ejemplos \(\PageIndex{2}\)

María y Juan son simpáticos.
Martín y Miguel son inteligentes.
Teresa y Abigail son extrovertidas.
Nosotros somos creativos.
Y ustedes, ¿son creativos?

Thinking about the grammar

The adjective becomes plural when it describes something plural.

The adjective is in the masculine form when it refers to a either a group of males or to a mixed group. (ejemplos 1, 2, 4 y 5)

The adjective is feminine when it refers to a group of females. (ejemplo 3)

For examples 4 and 5, the adjectives would have been feminine if all of the people in the groups being referenced were female.

Query \(\PageIndex{1}\)

Escuchemos (Let´s listen)

Actividad comunicativa

Go back to this section and look over the list of adjectives. Find three that describe you and three that do not describe you.
Opción 1:
Get with a partner. Take turns describing yourselves. Tell something about yourself and then ask your partner if that description also applies to him / her.

Ejemplos

A: Yo soy creativa. ¿Y tú? ¿Eres creativo?

B: Sí yo soy creativo. // No, yo no soy creativo.

Ojo:

Be sure to match the gender of the adjective with the person whom you are describing.

Opción 2:
make your own video to introduce yourself. Tell your name, where you are from, and use at least three adjectives from 2.3 to tell what you are like. You might also want to tell what you are not like. That is up to you. Three short sentences are fine. Note that the people in the above video do not always answer in complete sentences, but I want you to answer in complete sentences here. Although it isn´t always necessary in everyday conversations, you do need to have that ability in order to complete many language tasks in real life.

Actividad Comunicativa

Go back to the list of adjectives. Look over them in order to answer the following questions with your opinions. Please start your question with ¨es¨ and then the appropriate adjetives changed to match gender and number as necessary. Do not use a translator or get help so that you can answer in a more complex way. These activities are for you to learn by using the structors we are working on right now to communicate. If you go above this level, it is likely not to be as helpful to you.

❖¿Cómo es el profesor / la profesora ideal?

❖¿Cómo es el estudiante / la estudiante ideal?

❖¿Cómo es el héroe / la heroína ideal?

❖¿Cómo es el villano / la villana ideal?

❖¿Cómo es el amigo / la amiga ideal?