72 everyday adjectives in five groups, with pronunciation and how they change. Practice right here.
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Everyday Spanish adjectives
The adjectives you'll use most. Most come after the noun: un libro nuevo, a new book. Colors work the same way.
A few shorten before a masculine noun: bueno → buen, malo → mal, primero → primer. Grande becomes gran and means great.
buenogood · BWEH-noh
malobad · MAH-loh
grandebig · GRAHN-deh
pequeñosmall · peh-KEH-nyoh
nuevonew · NWEH-boh
viejoold · BYEH-hoh
mismosame · MEES-moh
otroother, another · OH-troh
mejorbetter · meh-HOR
peorworse · peh-OR
importanteimportant · eem-por-TAHN-teh
posiblepossible · poh-SEE-bleh
primerofirst · pree-MEH-roh
últimolast · OOL-tee-moh
Spanish adjectives to describe a person
Looks and personality usually take ser: Ana es alta y simpática. Use them for your family too: mi hermano es alto.
Adjectives ending in -o change for a woman: alto → alta. Those ending in -e or a consonant don't: inteligente, joven.
altotall · AHL-toh
bajoshort (height) · BAH-hoh
jovenyoung · HOH-ben
mayorolder · mah-YOR
guapogood-looking · GWAH-poh
feougly · FEH-oh
rubioblond · ROO-byoh
morenodark-haired · moh-REH-noh
delgadothin · del-GAH-doh
gordofat · GOR-doh
simpáticonice · seem-PAH-tee-koh
antipáticounfriendly · ahn-tee-PAH-tee-koh
inteligenteintelligent · een-teh-lee-HEN-teh
amablekind · ah-MAH-bleh
divertidofun · dee-behr-TEE-doh
aburridoboring · ah-boo-RREE-doh
Feelings and moods in Spanish
Feelings and states usually take estar: estoy cansado, I'm tired.
Some change meaning with ser and estar: estar listo is ready, ser listo is clever.
contentohappy (right now) · kohn-TEN-toh
felizhappy (in life) · feh-LEES
tristesad · TREES-teh
cansadotired · kahn-SAH-doh
enojadoangry · eh-noh-HAH-doh
nerviosonervous · nehr-BYOH-soh
tranquilocalm · trahn-KEE-loh
preocupadoworried · preh-oh-koo-PAH-doh
ocupadobusy · oh-koo-PAH-doh
enfermosick · en-FEHR-moh
listoready · LEES-toh
sorprendidosurprised · sor-pren-DEE-doh
asustadoscared · ah-soos-TAH-doh
emocionadoexcited · eh-moh-syoh-NAH-doh
Spanish adjectives to describe things and places
Learn them in opposite pairs: caro / barato, fácil / difícil, abierto / cerrado.
caroexpensive · KAH-roh
baratocheap · bah-RAH-toh
fácileasy · FAH-seel
difícildifficult · dee-FEE-seel
limpioclean · LEEM-pyoh
suciodirty · SOO-syoh
abiertoopen · ah-BYEHR-toh
cerradoclosed · seh-RRAH-doh
rápidofast · RRAH-pee-doh
lentoslow · LEN-toh
calientehot (temperature) · kah-LYEN-teh
fríocold · FREE-oh
bonitopretty · boh-NEE-toh
cómodocomfortable · KOH-moh-doh
peligrosodangerous · peh-lee-GROH-soh
interesanteinteresting · een-teh-reh-SAHN-teh
Size, weight and amount in Spanish
Watch the false friend: largo means long, not large. Large is grande.
Amount words go before the noun: mucho tiempo, pocas personas, todo el día.
largolong · LAHR-goh
cortoshort (length) · KOR-toh
anchowide · AHN-choh
estrechonarrow · ehs-TREH-choh
pesadoheavy · peh-SAH-doh
ligerolight (not heavy) · lee-HEH-roh
llenofull · YEH-noh
vacíoempty · bah-SEE-oh
muchoa lot of · MOO-choh
pocolittle, few · POH-koh
todoall · TOH-doh
suficienteenough · soo-fee-SYEN-teh
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Common Spanish adjectives: the full list
Every adjective on this page with its pronunciation and how it changes to match the noun.
Quick answer:good is bueno, bad is malo, big is grande, small is pequeño, new is nuevo, old is viejo, same is mismo, other, another is otro, better is mejor, worse is peor, important is importante, possible is posible, first is primero, and last is último.
Usually after the noun: una casa grande. Amount words like mucho, poco and todo go before it, and a few adjectives change meaning before the noun: un gran libro is a great book.
How do Spanish adjectives change?
Adjectives ending in -o have four forms: alto, alta, altos, altas. Those ending in -e or a consonant have two: inteligente, inteligentes; fácil, fáciles.
Ser or estar with adjectives?
Ser for what someone or something is like (es alto, es simpático), estar for states and feelings (está cansado). Some change meaning: ser aburrido is boring, estar aburrido is bored.
Bueno or buen?
Buen before a masculine singular noun (un buen día), bueno elsewhere (el día es bueno). The same goes for malo and mal, primero and primer.
How do you say happy in Spanish?
Contento for a mood right now (estoy contento) and feliz for happiness in general (soy feliz). Both are very common.
What adjectives describe a person in Spanish?
For looks: alto, bajo, joven, guapo, rubio, moreno. For personality: simpático, amable, inteligente, divertido. Use them with ser: es alta y simpática.
How do you say beautiful in Spanish?
Bonito or hermoso. Lindo is very common in Latin America, and guapo is used for good-looking people.
How do you say big and small in Spanish?
Grande and pequeño. Before a noun, grande becomes gran and means great: un gran día.
