Spanish Grammar: Adjectives II

Adjectives

Adjectives normally trail the noun. This isn't the case for ordinal numbers,

Esta es la primera vez que yo voy sin mi madre.
This is the first time that I'm going without my mother.

or for what are called indefinite adjectives.

	Muchas personas hablan español.	Many people speak Spanish.
	Pocas mujeres trabajan como bomberos.	Few women work as firemen.
	Hay algún mensaje para mi?	Is there a message for me?
	Ninguna persona es tan generosa.	No person is as generous.
	No hay un otro maestro como él.	There is no other teacher like him.

Here are the indefinite pronouns:
	Quieres comer algo?	Would you like to eat something?
	Alquien quiere casarse conmigo?	Does someone want to marry me?
	Nadie conoce a este señor.	No one knows this man.
	Todo el mundo me ama.	Everybody loves me.
	Algunos* están sobre la mesa.	Some are on the table.
	Ninguna* es tan generosa.	No one is so generous.
	No hay un otro* como él.	There isn't another one like him.
	*Both masculine, feminine, and plural forms exist for these indefinites.

There is also a group of adjectives that can be placed either in front of or behind an adjective.

The meaning of grande and pobre changes depending on wether it comes before or after the noun.

	La gran ciudad de Buenos Aires.	The great city of Buenos Aires.
	La ciudad es grande.	The city is large.

	Mi familia es pobre. A veces no podemos pagar el alquilar.
	My family is poor. At times we can't pay the rent.
	Esos pobres niños viven en la calle.
	Those unfortunate children live in the street.

« previous page