Confusion over Past Participles as Adjectives

Question

I know how to form past participles from the infinitives of verbs. I also know that Spanish has a strong preference for agreement between noun & adjective in terms of person & number. I am aware there are certain exceptions to the agreement rules.

However, I remain confused about when a past participle should agree. It seems to me that some do while others don’t, & I can’t discern any pattern.

For example, I’m pretty sure you would talk of a ‘película conocida’ (& not ‘conocido’), yet I’m also pretty sure you would talk of a ‘película hecho en colores’ (& not ‘hecha’), but I don’t understand why one should agree yet the other not.

Any guidance would be appreciated, gracias.

Yo diría "ayer vi una película hecha en blanco y negro", nunca "hecho"... Y película conocida, aburrida, entretenida, divertida, etc, en femenino... - Cordobesa, Jan 26, 2015

Good detail to review. Thanks! - Jubilado, Jan 26, 2015

Answer 1

Cordobesa already replied to your specific example. I'm not totally sure if the confusion I experience over past participles is the same as what you mean here, so let me know if this is different:

Te hemos conocido desde 1980. - part of the verb, no agreement

Soy conocida en España. - adjective, agreement

Estamos satisfechos con la compra. - adjective, agreement

Habíamos satisfecho las rígidas exigencias. - part of the verb, no agreement

With your example about the movie, "he hecho esta película con el corazón" vs. "esta película está hecha con el corazón".

No, I thnink I've just seen 'hecho' used wrongly in the past & assumed it doesn't agree. Now I know it does. Thanks, everyone :-) - Faldaesque, Jan 26, 2015

Good stuff, it's nice to have it cleared up :) - Manity, Jan 26, 2015