Noun-Adjective Agreement

Nouns are ALL-POWERFUL!!!!!

*Adjectives are words that describe nouns.

*Example in English:

the serious student

nounadjective

*In English, adjectives usually come before nouns.

*Example in Spanish:

el estudiante serio

nounadjective

*In Spanish, adjectives usually come after nouns.

In Spanish, adjectives must match the GENDER and NUMBER of the nouns they describe.

*First, you must match the gender. *If the noun is masculine (usually

ends in –o), the adjective must also be masculine (usually ends

in –o).

*Example: el chico alto

*If the noun is feminine (usually ends in –a), the adjective must also be feminine (usually ends in –a).

*Example: la chica alta

*Next, you match the number.

*If the noun is singular (only one of it), the adjective must also be singular.

*Example: el chico alto*Example: la chica alta

*If the noun is plural (more than one of it), the adjective must also be plural.

*Example: los chicos altos

*Example: las chicas altas

*Make sure the article matches in gender and number too!

*Example: los chicos altos

*Example: las chicas altas

Singular Plural

Masculine

el chico alto

los chicos altos

Feminine

la chica alta

las chicas altas

*Adjectives that end in –e match both genders

*Example: el maestro inteligente

*Example: la maestra inteligente

BUT don’t forget to match NUMBER!*Example: las maestras

inteligentes

*Adjectives that end in a consonant generally match both genders

*Example: el amigo joven*Example: la amiga joven

*Some adjectives that end in a consonant add –a to form the feminine. These exceptions have to be memorized.

*Example: el chico trabajador

*Example: la chica trabajadora

*To make a word plural, add –s if it ends in a vowel

*Example: el chico = los chicos*Example: la estudiante = las

estudiantes

*To make a word plural, add –es if it ends in a consonant

*Example: el estudiante trabajador = los estudiantes trabajadores

*Example: la mujer joven = las mujeres jóvenes