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October 25, 2022 by Luis F. Dominguez Spanish Grammar 0 comments

A Massive List of Spanish Adjectives and How To Use Them

Are you improving in your Spanish fluency, but still struggling to describe people accurately? 

This is a normal stage in most students’ Spanish-learning process. You may have mastered the grammar rules, but are still short in vocabulary. 

I’m here to help you solve that! 

Keep reading to learn what adjectives are and how to use them—discover a massive list of the most common, popular, and basic Spanish adjectives right ahead! 


Table of Contents:

  • Brief Introduction to Spanish Adjectives 
  • Massive List of Adjectives
  • Adjectives That Start With e
  • Adjectives That Start with l
  • Adjectives That Start With n
  • Adjectives That Start With r
  • Practice These Adjectives and Improve Your Spanish Today

Brief Introduction to Spanish Adjectives 

Adjectives are one of the 9 parts of speech and are usually known as “descriptive words,” since they describe nouns and give important information about the characteristics of nouns. 

An important difference with English adjectives is that in Spanish adjectives “must agree in gender and number with nouns.” 

Read A Comprehensive Guide to Spanish Adjectives to learn more about how these descriptive words are used to describe people and things. 

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How To Use Adjectives in Spanish

In Spanish, besides number (singular or plural) as in English, nouns are gendered. 

This means that every noun is either masculine or feminine, and adjectives should reflect that. That’s why you have up to 4 different ways any adjective can be expressed in a sentence. 

Spanish adjectives must agree in gender and number with nouns.

Let’s see this using the adjective alto (tall) with the four different combinations of gender and number:

El hombre es alto. 
The man is tall. 

Los hombres son altos. 
The men are tall. 

La mujer es alta. 
The woman is tall.

Las mujeres son altas. 
The women are tall. 

Notice how in English the adjective tall never changes, while in Spanish you have four different variations of the same adjective. 

Just keep in mind that not all adjectives change to adapt to gender and they keep the same form for both feminine and masculine nouns. 

Read this article for a more thorough understanding on how to use adjectives.

La mujer es alta. 

Massive List of Adjectives

Without further ado, here you have a massive list of some of the most common and popular Spanish adjectives, divided into categories to make your study of them quite easier.

Massive List of Adjectives infographic

Spanish Adjectives To Describe a Person

Let’s start with adjectives that you can use to describe someone. 

Personality Adjectives

You can describe a person talking about its personality or about its physical traits. Use these descriptive words in Spanish to talk about the personality of a person. 

They’re divided into positive and negative adjectives.

Positive AdjectivesExamples
amablekindTu papá es muy amable.Your dad is very kind.
amigablefriendlyJosé es muy amigable.José is very friendly.
creativo(a)creativePicasso era un artista muy creativo. Picasso was a very creative artist.
divertido(a)funnyCarla es muy divertida.Carla is very funny.
generoso(a)generousTu mamá es muy generosa conmigo.Your mom is very generous with me. 
hábilskilledRonaldo es muy hábil con el balón. Ronaldo is very skilled with the football.
honesto(a)honestEl presidente es honesto. The president is honest.
inteligenteintelligentEinstein era muy inteligente. Einstein was very intelligent. 
modesto(a)humbleRodrigo es un chico modesto.Rodrigo is a humble boy. 
puntualpunctualYo siempre soy muy puntual. I’m always very punctual.
responsableresponsibleTu hermana es más responsable que tú.Your sister is more responsible than you.
simpático(a)niceMónica es muy simpática.Monica is very nice.
talentoso(a)talentedErika es una chica talentosa.Erika is a talented girl.
valientebraveAntonio se cree muy valiente.Antonio thinks he’s very brave.
Spanish adjectives example - Tu mamá es muy generosa conmigo.
Negative AdjectivesExamples
aburrido(a)boringEsa película es aburrida. That movie is boring.
celoso(a)jealousSu novia es muy celosa.His girlfriend is very jealous.
cínico(a)cynicalMe he vuelto un poco cínico con los años.I’ve become a little cynical with age.
descuidado(a)carelessJorge es descuidado con sus estudios.Jorge is careless with his studies.
deshonesto(a)dishonestNo seas deshonesto conmigo.Don’t be dishonest with me.
egoístaselfishMi hermana menor es muy egoísta.My little sister is very selfish. 
grosero(a)rudeTu amigo es muy grosero conmigo.Your friend is very rude to me.
impulsivo(a)impulsiveNo me gusta ser tan impulsivo.I don’t like being so impulsive.
malhumorado(a)bad-temperedEl profesor de historia es malhumorado.The teacher of History is bad-tempered.
mentiroso(a)liarEl personaje principal es mentiroso.The main character is a liar.
molesto(a)annoyingMi hermano mayor es muy molesto.My big brother is very annoying.
perezoso(a)lazyLos domingos soy muy perezoso.On Sundays I’m very lazy.
tacaño(a)stingyMartha es muy tacaña.Martha is very stingy.
terco(a)stubborn¡Qué terco es tu tío!How stubborn is your uncle!
Spanish adjectives example - Jorge es descuidado con sus estudios.

Physical Traits

The following list of Spanish adjectives focuses on the physical traits of people. 

AdjectivesExamples
alto(a)tallMi hermano es muy alto. My brother is very tall. 
bajo(a)ShortMaría es baja. Maria is short.
calvo(a)baldMi papá se quedó calvo hace años.My dad went bald years ago.
delgado(a)slim, thinTe veo más delgado.I see you thinner.
feo(a)ugly¡Que feo es tu hermano!How ugly is your brother!
flaco(a)skinnyEsa modelo está muy flaca.That model is quite skinny.
gordo(a)fatMe estoy poniendo muy gordo.I’m getting too fat.
guapo(a)handsome, beautifulBrad Pitt es el actor más guapo de su generación.Brad Pitt is the most handsome actor of his generation.
lindo(a)cuteEs un bebé muy lindo.She’s a very cute baby.
moreno(a)brunetteSalma Hayek es una morena hermosa.Salma Hayek is a beautiful brunette.
pálido(a)paleCarlos está enfermo, se ve muy pálido.Carlos is sick, he looks very pale.
pelirrojo(a)redheadEn Irlanda hay muchas chicas pelirrojas.In Ireland there are a lot of redhead girls.
rechoncho(a)chubbyYo era un bebé rechoncho.I was a chubby baby.
rubio(a)blondeLa mayoría de los suecos son rubios.Most Swedish people are blonde.
Spanish adjectives example - Es un bebé muy lindo.

Funny Adjectives

Now, a list of funny adjectives to lighten the mood a little bit. 

AdjectivesExamples
alborotado(a)messy, unrulyTienes el pelo todo alborotado.Your hair is all messy.
aterciopelado(a)velvetyTu camisa tiene una textura aterciopelada. Your shirt has a velvety feeling.
blandenguesoftyCarlos es un blandengue.Carlos is a softy.
debilucho(a)weakToño es un debilucho.Tony is weak. 
desconchinflado(a)damaged, brokenMi coche está desconchinflado.My car is broken.
lampiño(a)hairlessA Miguel nunca le creció la barba, es lampiño.Miguel never grew a beard, he’s hairless.
escurridizo(a)slipperyCuidado que el piso está escurridizo.Careful, as the floor is slippery.
espeluznantehorrifyingVimos una película espeluznante.We watched a horrifying movie.
friolero(a), friolento(a)to be cold, chillyMaría es muy friolenta.Maria is very cold.
guapérrimo(a)extremely handsomeMi novio está guapérrimo.My boyfriend is extremely handsome.
jocoso(a)jocularTe estás poniendo muy jocoso.You’re getting too jocular.
papanatasfoolTu primo es un papanatas.Your cousin is a fool.
pegajoso(a)stickyPisé un chicle y mis zapatos están pegajosos.I stomped on a chewy gum and my shoes are sticky.
pelelewimpTu amigo es un pelele.Your friend is a wimp.
Spanish adjectives example - A Miguel nunca le creció la barba, es lampiño.

Adjectives That Start With a

Find in this section a series of adjectives that begin with the letter “a.”

AdjectivesExamples
adorablelovelyTu hijo es adorable.Your son is lovely.
ágilagileLio Messi es muy ágil.Lio Messi is very agile.
agrio(a)sourTe salió muy agria esta salsa. This sauce is very sour.
alegrejoyfulMi novio es alegre.My boyfriend is joyful.
altanero(a)haughtyJuan es muy altanero.Juan is quite haughty.
amargo(a)bitterNo me gusta la cerveza porque es muy amarga.I don’t like beer because it’s too bitter.
amenazadorthreateningMe habló en un tono amenazador.He talked to me with a threatening tone.
ancho(a)wideEl camino es suficientemente ancho.The path is wide enough.
antiguo(a)ancientEsta iglesia es muy antigua.This church is ancient.
antipático(a)unfriendlyTu tío es antipático.Your uncle is unfriendly.
arrugado(a)wrinkledTu camisa está arrugada.Your shirt is wrinkled.
áspero(a)roughLa madera de esta mesa está muy áspera.The wood of this table is very rough.
aterciopelado(a)velvetyTu camisa tiene una textura aterciopelada. Your shirt has a velvety feeling.
audazboldTomaste una decisión audaz.You took a bold decisión.
Spanish adjectives example - Esta iglesia es muy antigua.

Adjectives That Start With e

Now it’s time to learn Spanish adjectives that start with the letter “e.”

AdjectivesExamples
efímero(a)short-lived, ephemeralEl alivio fue efímero.The relief was short-lived.
egocéntrico(a)egocentricEres muy egocéntrico.You’re very egocentric.
eleganteelegantEste hotel es muy elegante.This hotel is very elegant.
entusiastaenthusiasticMiguel es muy entusiasta.Miguel is very enthusiastic.
equivocado(a)wrongTu hermano está equivocado.Your brother is wrong.
espontáneo(a)spontaneousFue una reacción espontánea.It was a spontaneous reaction.
estrecho(a)narrowLa ventana es muy estrecha.The window is quite narrow.
exacto(a)exactEl precio exacto es 10 dólares.The exact price is 10 dollars.
extrovertido(a)extrovertedMi novia es muy extrovertida.My girlfriend is very extroverted.
Este hotel es muy elegante.

Adjectives That Start with l

Now, a list of Spanish adjectives that start with the letter “L.”

AdjectivesExamples
largo(a)longEsta mesa es muy larga.This table is very long.
lejano(a)far, distantHace mucho tiempo en una galaxia muy lejana.Long time ago in a far away galaxy.
lento(a)slowLas tortugas son muy lentas.Turtles are very slow.
librefreeSoy un hombre libre.I’m a free man.
limpio(a)cleanTu casa está muy limpia.Your house is very clean.
liso(a)smoothTienes la piel muy lisa.You have smooth skin.
listo(a)cleverLuis es muy listo.Luis is very clever.
liviano(a)lightTu teléfono es muy liviano.Your phone is very light.
loco(a)crazyTu amiga está loca.Your friend is crazy.
Tienes la piel muy lisa.

Adjectives That Start With n

Find below a list of Spanish adjectives that start with the letter “n.”

AdjectivesExamples
naturalnaturalMe gusta la comida natural.I like natural food.
necesario(a)necessary, neededTu ayuda es muy necesaria.Your help is very necessary.
necio(a)foolish¡No seas necio!Don’t be foolish!
normalnormalNuestra vida es muy normal.Our life is very normal.
negativo(a)negativeTu amiga es muy negativa.Your friend is very negative.
nervioso(a)nervousEstoy muy nervioso por mi entrevista.I’m very nervous for my interview.
nocivo(a)harmfulFumar es nocivo para tu salud.Smoking is harmful for your health.
nocturnonightly, nocturnalLos búhos son animales nocturnos.Owls are nocturnal animals.
nuevo(a)new¿Te gusta mi coche nuevo?Do you like my new car?
Los búhos son animales nocturnos.

Adjectives That Start With r

Now, a list of Spanish adjectives that start with the letter “r.”

AdjectivesExamples
racistaracistNo es bueno ser racista.It isn’t good to be racist.
rápido(a)fast, quickFlash es el superhéroe más rápido.Flash is the fastest superhero.
raro(a)rare, weirdEmilio es un tipo raro.Emilio is a weird guy.
recienterecentLa herida es muy reciente.The injury is very recent.
reflexivo(a)reflexiveEl profesor es muy reflexivo.The teacher is very reflexive.
rico(a)rich, tastyBill Gates es muy rico.Bill Gates is very rich.
romántico(a)romanticTu amiga es muy romántica.Your friend is very romantic.
roto(a)brokenMi pierna está rota.My leg is broken.
ruidoso(a)noisyMis vecinos son muy ruidosos.My neighbors are very noisy.
Mi pierna está rota.

Practice These Adjectives and Improve Your Spanish Today

There you have it, a massive list of basic Spanish adjectives that cover a little bit of everything. Practice them in and try to introduce them in your Spanish conversations to continue improving your Spanish. 

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Luis F. Dominguez
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Luis F. Domínguez is a freelance writer and independent journalist interested in travel, languages, art, books, history, philosophy, politics and sports. He has written for Fodor’s, Yahoo!, Sports Illustrated, Telemundo, and Villa Experience, among other brands of print and digital media in Europe and North America.
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