Adjective Concerns
Hola a todas!
I feel that I need to get my concerns on spanish adjective across. You may be able to help me.
I am curious why is that according to the book I have read that spanish adjectives are written after the noun that is being modified.Just like the examples below.However, sometimes they are written before the noun which is how English is written. I wonder, Is there any particular rule when to put the adjective before the noun or after or it does not matter where?
Examples of Adjectives before the Noun
La pura agua (pure water)
La insoportable hambre (the unbearable hunger)
La feliz ama de casa (the happy housewife)
La gran águila (the great eagle)
Examples of Adjectives after the Noun
La casa pequeña
Lla verdura deliciosa
El carro rojo
I hope someone can give light to this. Thank you in advance
11 Answers
Yes, adjectives are usually written after the noun they modify and they should match in gender and number. Example:
La chica bonita.
Los estudiantes aplicados.
La juventud desenfrenada.
El escritor elocuente.
However, placing the adjective before the noun it modifies gives it a different nuance (makes it more emphatic, or refined or even catchier to the eyes of the reader). It almost elevates the value of the adjective being used.
La hermosa chica.
Los excelentes estudiantes.
La eterna juventud.
La elocuente escritora.
I hope this helps!
This inconsistent adjective placement can be tricky.
It has been my observation that one sees the adjectives placed before the nouns more often is pat-phrases (frases hechas) and titles, and specially so in translated titles.
To Franco and Eugenio´s comments, I¨ll add that there are certain adjectives that one simply sees in front more often, and early on, you´ll do well to emulate those, and leave the adjective until after otherwise. The total number of adjectives that often appear in front doesn´t seem great, but the ones that do, appear pretty frequently. In fact, some of the very first phrases we tend to learn in Spanish are examples thereof.
Buenos días, Buenas tardes, Buenas noches.
Muchas gracias
Que tenga un buen día
Es una gran ciudad, Es un gran hombre.
They are often placed before the noun when they are describing an intrinsic important characteristic on the noun. This is probably related to Franco´s comment on emphasis.
Have you looked at the adjective placement article here on Spanishdict.com? I think it´s pretty helpful too, as it also covers some common limiting adjectives (suficiente, muchos, pocas etc) and more examples of those that change meaning before vs after. Good and recommended reading.
But in general, if you haven´t seen an example of a given adjective being used before, you´ll generally be right leaving it until after. You can modify that practice as you learn more.
Hope that helps,
Roger
Just wanted to add:
"Limiting adjectives" always come before nouns, e.g. "Diez carros, muchos libros, pocos estudiantes."
Some adjectives change meaning/nuance depending on their position, like "Mi viejo amigo (My old, as in former, friend), vs. "Mi amigo viejo (my old (age) friend." "Mi nueva bicicleta (my new bike, as in new to me, not brand new), vs. "Mi bicicleta nueva," (My (brand) new bike).
I had the same problem and made this flashcard set if you're a flashcard lover:
Meaning changing adjectives flashcards
"This is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the hemlocks,
Bearded with moss, and in garments green, indistinct in the twilight..."
HWL
verdes trajes/garments green
Esta es la selva de la edad primera.
Los pinos y los cedros rumorosos
Con heno ornados y con verdes trajes
A la hora del crepúsculo, indistintos...
Casasús
El viejo amigo =/= el amigo viejo.
Also in English in some marginal cases:
"He was very glad to see an old friend doing so well." (ambiguous)
"He was very glad to see a friend old and gray doing so well"
Interestingly enough, an English-speaking Dostovevsky might well be able to get something intriguing out of it:
"During those long days in the sub-sub-department, I felt I had to get my concerns about adjectives across. They were invading my cubicle in reams and, once installed, were reproducing, like coat hangers in the closet. I took out a blank sheet of ancient, brittle foolscap. On it I traced out a word in charcoal--ENHANCED. That is where it all began to go belly up: ENHANCED. When my supervisor came in, I crumpled the foolscap and stuffed it in my mouth, pretending to chew gum"
"I feel that I need to get my concerns on spanish adjective across"
This is a very curious and clumsy phrasing in English, even if "adjective" is made plural--not a native speaker?
