NexoBuilding Spanish
Adjective agreement
Make a description respond to the gender and number of the noun it describes.
First identify the noun. Then identify the adjective family. Adjectives such as nuevo change to nueva for feminine singular, while adjectives such as grande keep one singular gender form. Plural meaning must appear across every responsive word.
A dependable sequence
Let the noun control the description.
Agreement is a relationship. It does not mean that every word must end with the same letter.
Find the noun
Identify exactly what person, place, thing, or group the adjective describes.
Identify the adjective family
An -o adjective normally marks gender with -o/-a. Many -e adjectives keep the same singular form.
Match the number
When the meaning becomes plural, form the plural of the article, noun, and adjective according to each word's own ending.
Use neutral order
For a dependable first description, build article + noun and place a classifying adjective after it.
Two adjective families
Some forms change for gender; others stay stable.
Does the singular form mark gender?
Use -o with a masculine singular noun and -a with a feminine singular noun.
Does the adjective keep one form?
Many adjectives ending in -e use the same singular form with masculine and feminine nouns.
Do not invent forms such as interesanta. First learn what the adjective family is able to mark.
Plural agreement
Plural meaning travels across the complete phrase.
El libro nuevo becomes los libros nuevos. The article changes, the noun forms its plural, and the adjective forms its plural. One plural marker is not enough when other words also have plural forms.
Each word follows its own spelling pattern. Ciudad becomes ciudades with -es, while grande becomes grandes with -s. The endings differ, but every part expresses the same plural meaning.
Check the idea
Can you coordinate family and number?
Complete the description: las ciudades ___ (interesting). Should the adjective become interesantas or interesantes?
Reveal the answer
Interesante keeps one form across singular gender, but it still changes for plural number. Add -s: las ciudades interesantes.
Learn it in context