Los adjetivos..
Bueno..
My question might be kind of stupid..
Obviously in Spanish adjectives go after the noun. (generally) I know there a certain examples that typically or can go before. So my first question is: Does anyone know of a list of those that typically are before/ when they are used before?
And second.. now that I have been learning more spanish, and traveling abroad, there are some adjectives that I always thought HAD to be after that I have heard used before at times.
Examples I've heard : pequeñas cantidades, Que lindos ojos, etc..
Are there times/certain adjectives/nouns that this is okay or even better to do? Or why have I heard this more now that I'm beyond classroom language?
Sorry this is so long..
3 Answers
Excellent question. I don't think there's any hard and fast rule. The position of the adjective has an effect on the meaning of the phrase - mi viejo amigo is a friend I've known for a long time, mi amigo viejo is my friend who is elderly. El libro grande = the big book, el gran libro = the great book.
What you learned in class is true to a certain extent. In general if you're just modifying the noun the adjective goes after the noun. Putting it in front of the noun often means you're emphasizing the adjective instead of the noun. And there my knowledge ends.
To tell the truth, I can think of most adjectives being used before the sustantive... but I think it has to be on special cases.
"Sus blancas manos como rocío de madrugada" "Las enormes casas se apilaban a los lados de la calle" "De sus rojos labios, una llamarada" "sus rostros de cansadas facciones"
I think it emphasizes the word, and sounds more beautiful... poetical
No such thing as a stupid question, especially not this one, jeje, we do get some weird questions on this site, well, this is an intelligent one, I hope you have the patience to read this.
Adjetivos que preceden al sustantivo
This part is interesting and it was already noted by Kevin
Entre los adjetivos más comunes que cambian de significado según la posición, tenemos los siguientes:
Delante del sustantivo / Después del sustantivo
antiguo former, of long standing/ old, aged
cierto certain /sure, definite, certain
diferente various./ different
mismo same, very self
nuevo another new
pobre pitiable needy (without money)
propio own own, very, suitable
rare rare (few) strange
único only, single unique
varies several sundry, miscellaneous
NOTA: Naturalmente, la posición de estos adjetivos puede variar en oraciones que incluyen más de un adjetivo.
