Adjectives — Position of Adjectives

Adjectives — Position of Adjectives

In Spanish, some adjectives stand before, and others after, the noun they modify. In some cases, it is difficult to decide which of these places the adjective should occupy. Generally speaking, adjectives that limit as to quantity (the, a, an, much, many, numerals, etc.) precede the noun. Adjectives which describe a noun by telling its quality (color, size, shape, appearance, condition, nationality) and thereby distinguish it from others of its kind, follow the noun. The following rules indicate the more general usage.

Each of the following types of adjectives are placed before the noun they modify:

(a) Possessive adjectives

Mi madre es argentina.
My mother is Argentinian.

(b) Demonstrative adjectives

Viven en esa casa desde hace un año.
They have been living in that house for a year.

(c) Indefinite adjectives

Tengo poca confianza en ellos.
I have little confidence in them.

(d) Cardinal numerals(one, two, three, etc.)

Tengo dos libros.
I have two books.

Note: An ordinal numeral (first, second, third, etc.) usually precedes the noun it modifies. However, ordinal numbers must follow the names of kings, popes, etc.

¡Es la tercera vez que me lo preguntas!
That makes the third time you've asked me!

But:

Jorge Sexto de Inglaterra
George VI of England

The following adjectives are usually placed after the nouns they modify:

(a) adjectives indicating a physical quality (color, size, strength, etc.)

Se vistió de un traje azul.
He wore a blue suit.

Tiene un carácter muy fuerte.
He has a strong personality.

(b) past participles when used as adjectives

un sobre abierto
an unsealed envelope

(c) adjectives that are modified by adverbs

Sentí un dolor muy fuerte en el pecho.
I felt a very intense/severe pain in the chest.

Estoy bastante seguro.
I am fairly sure.

(d) adjectives of nationality

Es una actriz argentina.
She is an Argentine actress.

(e) Adjectives that are much longer than the noun being modified

La poción despedía un olor insoportable.
The potion gave off a terrible smell.

(f) adjectival phrases (i.e. phrases formed with de + noun)

Tengo mis gafas de sol y los lentes de contacto.
I have my sunglasses and contact lenses.

Note: The meaning of some common adjectives varies according to whether they precede or follow the noun. Consider these changes in meaning:

una gran ciudad a great city
una ciudad grande a large city

la pobre mujer the poor (unfortunate) woman
la mujer pobre the poor (needy) woman

el mismo hombre the same man
el hombre mismo the man himself

un amigo viejo an old friend (who is getting old)
un viejo amigo an old friend (a friend for many years)

Note: A descriptive adjective can be considered non-differentiating and therefore be placed before the noun when:

(a) it is part of a set expression or is an expected, obvious descriptor. For example, the word fría in la fría nieve does not really distinguish the snow being described from other types of snow; the word ‘cold’ is not quite redundant but adds little to the description and therefore can be placed before the noun. Consider: la verde grama (the green grass) – since grass tends to be green, the adjective here does not differentiate this grass from others and can be placed before the noun. Another example: mi mejor amigo (my best friend) – this set phrase never varies in its adjective-noun position.

(b) it is used subjectively rather than as a distinguishing objective qualifier

los brillantes estudiantes de esta clase
the brilliant students of this clase

(i.e. they are all intelligent, this characteristic applies to all of them and does not distinguish some of them from others)

los estudiantes brillantes de esta clase
the brilliant students in this class

(i.e. only those particular members of the class who are brilliant, as opposed to those who are not)