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 trabajadorLa 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.