Spanish Adjectives: Forms, Types, Grades and Functions

Adjetivo

Gender and Number

Adjectives can be invariable or variable. Their number is marked by the plural -s.

Grades

• Positive: the adjective expresses a quality without comparison.
• Comparative: establishes the first comparison between two elements (inferiority, equality, superiority).
• Superlative: expresses the quality in its highest degree.
  • Relative superlative: the absolute (-isimo, -errimo, super-, ultra-, requete-), with very, extremely, etc.

Position of the Adjective

Adjectives may be placed antepuesto (before the noun) or pospuesto (after the noun).

Types

• Specificative: new buildings (limits the meaning of the noun).
• Explanatory: new buildings (describes an inherent quality).

Classification of Adjectives

• By gender: variable or invariable.
• By structure: simple, derived, compound.
• By position: specificative, explanatory.
• By grade: positive, comparative, superlative (relative, absolute).

Functions of the Adjective

• Noun complement within the noun phrase (SN).
• Attribute or predicative complement within the verb phrase (SV).

Substantivation

Any word or group of words can function as a noun. In this case, the word becomes a noun. Substantivation is normally marked by the presence of a determiner.

Determiners

Determiners are limiting words that accompany the noun or name, indicating meanings such as quantity, possession, or reference. They usually appear before the noun.

Articles

• Article: always agrees with the noun in gender and number. It presents persons, animals, or things as known (definite article) or unknown (indefinite article).
  • Definite: el, la, lo, los, las
  • Indefinite: un, una, unos, unas

Demonstrative Adjectives

They indicate distance in space and time relative to the speaker: este, esta, estos, estas; ese, esa, esos, esas; aquel, aquella, aquellos, aquellas.

Possessive Adjectives

They indicate that an object belongs to someone: mi, mis, tu, tus, su, sus; nuestro, nuestra, nuestros, nuestras; vuestro, vuestra, vuestros, vuestras. They always go before the noun when unstressed.

Indefinite Adjectives

They indicate an imprecise quantity or an unknown nature: algún, alguna, algunos, algunas; ningún, ninguna; todo, toda, todos, todas; mucho, mucha, muchos, muchas; poco, poca, pocos, pocas; otro, otra, otros, otras; cualquier, cualquiera, cualesquiera; demasiado, bastante.

Numeral Adjectives

They designate an exact quantity:

• Cardinal: uno, dos, tres...
• Ordinal: primero, segundo, tercero...
• Multiplicative: doble, triple...
• Partitive: medio, tercio, cuarto, catorceavo...

Interrogative and Exclamative Adjectives

Used to ask about or emphasize the quantity or nature of a noun: qué, cuál, cuáles, cuánto, cuánta, cuántos, cuántas.

Relative Adjectives

cuyo, cuya, cuyos, cuyas (whose).

Pronouns

• Personal: yo, me, mí, nosotros, tú, te, ti, usted, él, ella, lo, la, le, ellos, ellas, se.
• Demonstrative: este, ese, aquel, esto, eso, aquello.
• Possessive: mío, tuyo, suyo, nuestro, vuestro.
• Indefinite: nada, algo, bastante, cualquiera.
• Relative: quien, que, cuyo.
• Interrogative: qué, cuánto, cuál, quién.