Spanish adjectives (adjetivos) may be found before or after the nouns they modify, depending on various factors.
It is important to be careful when it comes to adjective placement because some adjectives can change their meaning, depending on their location in the sentence.
Spanish
English
el libro verde
a green book
Rule 1: Usually, an adjective comes after a noun in Spanish.
Spanish
English
un gato negro
a black cat
Rule 2: Numerical adjectives are usually placed before a noun. However, they can also be placed after a noun without changing the meaning.
Spanish
English
el primer capítulo; el capítulo primero
the first chapter
Rule 3: Adjectives can also be placed before a noun to emphasize the adjective or to give the phrase a literal or poetic tone. However, it is not the natural word order in Spanish and can sound clumsy, so be careful not to overuse them this way.
Spanish
English
la blanca nieve
the white snow
Rule 4: Some Spanish adjectives change their meaning when placed before or after a noun.
Spanish
English
un hombre grande
a tall man
un gran hombre
a great man
Here is an overview of some common Spanish adjectives that change their meaning, depending on their placement in relation to a noun:
| Adjective | Meaning Before a Noun | Meaning After a Noun |
|---|---|---|
| antiguo | former | old |
| curioso | strange | curious |
| próximo | next (in order) | next (soon) |
| solo | single, only | alone, lonely |
| simple | humle, modest | simple |
| único | one, single | unique |
| verdadero | real (emphasis) | true |
| Adjective | Meaning Before a Noun | Meaning After a Noun |
|---|---|---|
| antiguo | former | old |
| curioso | strange | curious |
| próximo | next (in order) | next (soon) |
| solo | single, only | alone, lonely |
| simple | humle, modest | simple |
| único | one, single | unique |
| verdadero | real (emphasis) | true |
Quiz
1/4
Which translation is correct? I bought a red car.
0
correct answers.