Descriptions & Places
Who, what, where — and what does it look like?
The world in the story
Stories come alive through descriptions. What do the characters look like? Where does it take place? With these words, you can visualise the world of the story.
Adjectives, prepositions, and family relationships form the setting in which the action takes place. These elements make the difference between a skeleton of events and a rich, vivid story.
Chapter
10
Adjectives & Descriptions
Colour, character, and traits
Spanish adjectives usually come AFTER the noun and change to match gender and number.
Adjective agreement
Most adjectives have 4 forms:
alto = tall/high
alto
(masculine singular)
→
un chico alto
= a tall boy
alta
(feminine singular)
→
una chica alta
= a tall girl
altos
(masculine plural)
→
chicos altos
= tall boys
altas
(feminine plural)
→
chicas altas
= tall girls
feliz = happy
feliz
(masculine/feminine singular)
→
un niño feliz
= a happy child
felices
(masculine/feminine plural)
→
niños felices
= happy children
Common adjectives
grande
→
big
After the noun
una casa grande
-
a big house
pequeño
→
small
After the noun
un perro pequeño
-
a small dog
bueno
→
good
Before noun: buen
un buen amigo
-
a good friend
malo
→
bad
Before noun: mal
un mal día
-
a bad day
nuevo
→
new
After
zapatos nuevos
-
new shoes
viejo
→
old
After
un hombre viejo
-
an old man
joven
→
young
After
una mujer joven
-
a young woman
bonito
→
beautiful/nice
After
una casa bonita
-
a nice house
feo
→
ugly
After
un edificio feo
-
an ugly building
rico
→
rich/tasty
After
comida rica
-
tasty food
pobre
→
poor
Before noun = pitiful
¡Pobre Juan!
-
Poor Juan!
largo
→
long
After
una calle larga
-
a long street
corto
→
short
After
pelo corto
-
short hair
fácil
→
easy
After
un ejercicio fácil
-
an easy exercise
difícil
→
difficult
After
una pregunta difícil
-
a difficult question
Colours
Some colours change form, others do not:
rojo
English
red
Changes?
yes
Shapes
rojo/roja/rojos/rojas
amarillo
English
yellow
Changes?
yes
Shapes
amarillo/amarilla/amarillos/amarillas
verde
English
green
Changes?
partly
Shapes
verde/verdes
azul
English
blue
Changes?
partly
Shapes
azul/azules
negro
English
black
Changes?
yes
Shapes
negro/negra/negros/negras
blanco
English
white
Changes?
yes
Shapes
blanco/blanca/blancos/blancas
gris
English
grey
Changes?
partly
Shapes
gris/grises
marrón
English
brown
Changes?
partly
Shapes
marrón/marrones
rosa
English
pink
Changes?
no
Shapes
rosa (always)
morado
English
purple
Changes?
yes
Shapes
morado/morada/morados/moradas
naranja
English
orange
Changes?
no
Shapes
naranja (always)
Personality traits
simpático
→
nice/friendly
antipático
→
unfriendly
amable
→
kind
grosero
→
rude
inteligente
→
intelligent
tonto
→
stupid
divertido
→
funny
aburrido
→
boring
alegre
→
cheerful
triste
→
sad
tranquilo
→
calm
nervioso
→
nervous
valiente
→
brave
cobarde
→
cowardly
generoso
→
generous
tacaño
→
stingy
honesto
→
honest
deshonesto
→
dishonest
paciente
→
patient
impaciente
→
impatient
Physical descriptions
Tiene el pelo rubio
→
He/she has blond hair
Tiene los ojos azules
→
He/she has blue eyes
Es alto y delgado
→
He is tall and slim
Es baja y gordita
→
She is short and chubby
Tiene barba
→
He has a beard
Lleva gafas
→
He/she wears glasses
Tiene una sonrisa bonita
→
He/she has a nice smile
Es de estatura media
→
He/she is of average height
Tiene unos treinta años
→
He/she is about thirty years old
Parece joven
→
He/she looks young
Chapter
11
Prepositions & Location
Where everything is
Prepositions are small but crucial. They tell you where things are, where people go, and how elements relate to each other.
Basic prepositions
a = to/at/by/for
Voy a Madrid
→
I go to Madrid
Estoy a casa
→
I am at home
A las tres
→
At three o'clock
de = of/from
El libro de Juan
→
Juan's book
Soy de Barcelona
→
I am from Barcelona
Una taza de café
→
A cup of coffee
en = in/on/at
En España
→
In Spain
En la mesa
→
On the table
En casa
→
At home
con = with
Con María
→
With María
Con gusto
→
With pleasure
Café con leche
→
Coffee with milk
sin = without
Sin azúcar
→
Without sugar
Sin problema
→
No problem
Sin ti
→
Without you
para = for/in order to
Para ti
→
For you
Para comer
→
To eat
Para mañana
→
For tomorrow
por = through/via/for
Por la calle
→
Through the street
Por favor
→
Please
Por la mañana
→
In the morning
entre = between
Entre amigos
→
Among friends
Entre tú y yo
→
Between you and me
Entre las dos
→
Between two o'clock
Combined prepositions
Only AL and DEL combine:
a + el
→
al
Voorbeeld
Voy al cine
Vertaling
I go to the cinema
de + el
→
del
Voorbeeld
la casa del profesor
Vertaling
the teacher's house
a + la
→
a la
Voorbeeld
a la escuela
Vertaling
to school
de + la
→
de la
Voorbeeld
de la ciudad
Vertaling
of the city
a + los
→
a los
Voorbeeld
a los niños
Vertaling
to the children
de + los
→
de los
Voorbeeld
de los estudiantes
Vertaling
of the students
Location expressions
aquí/acá
→
here
¡Ven aquí!
=
Come here!
allí/ahí/allá
→
there
El libro está allí
=
The book is there
arriba
→
up/above
arriba de la mesa
=
above the table
abajo
→
down/below
abajo de la cama
=
under the bed
dentro
→
inside
dentro de la caja
=
inside the box
fuera
→
outside
fuera de casa
=
outside the house
delante (de)
→
in front (of)
delante de la puerta
=
in front of the door
detrás (de)
→
behind (of)
detrás de la casa
=
behind the house
al lado (de)
→
next to (to)
al lado de mí
=
next to me
cerca (de)
→
near (to)
cerca de la estación
=
near the station
lejos (de)
→
far (from)
lejos de aquí
=
far from here
hacia
→
towards
hacia el centro
=
towards the centre
hasta
→
until/up to
hasta el final
=
until the end
a través de
→
through/via
a través del parque
=
through the park
Common locations in stories
en casa
→
at home
No article!
en la escuela
→
at school
With article
en el trabajo
→
at work
With article
en el centro
→
in the centre
With article
en la ciudad
→
in the city
With article
en el campo
→
in the countryside
With article
en la playa
→
at the beach
With article
en la montaña
→
in the mountains
With article
en el extranjero
→
abroad
With article
en la iglesia
→
in the church
With article
en el banco
→
at the bank
With article
en el médico
→
at the doctor
With article
en el hospital
→
in the hospital
With article
en la estación
→
at the station
With article
Chapter
12
Family & People
The characters in the story
Family and relationships are central themes in Spanish stories. These words help you understand who is who.
Immediate family
Note: Spanish has specific words for family relationships
el padre
→
father
mi padre
=
my father
la madre
→
mother
mi madre
=
my mother
el hijo
→
son
mi hijo
=
my son
la hija
→
daughter
mi hija
=
my daughter
el hermano
→
brother
mi hermano
=
my brother
la hermana
→
sister
mi hermana
=
my sister
el marido/esposo
→
husband
mi marido
=
my husband
la mujer/esposa
→
wife
mi mujer
=
my wife
los padres
→
parents
mis padres
=
my parents
los hijos
→
children
mis hijos
=
my children
los hermanos
→
siblings
mis hermanos
=
my siblings
el papá
→
dad
mi papá
=
my dad
la mamá
→
mum
mi mamá
=
my mum
Extended family
el abuelo
→
grandfather
los abuelos
=
grandparents/grandfathers
la abuela
→
grandmother
las abuelas
=
grandmothers
el tío
→
uncle
los tíos
=
uncles / uncles & aunts
la tía
→
aunt
las tías
=
aunts
el nieto
→
grandson
masculine
la nieta
→
granddaughter
feminine
el sobrino
→
nephew
los sobrinos
=
nephews / nephews & nieces
la sobrina
→
niece
las sobrinas
=
nieces
el primo
→
cousin (male)
los primos
=
cousins (male/mixed)
la prima
→
cousin (female)
las primas
=
cousins (female)
el suegro
→
father-in-law
los suegros
=
in-laws
la suegra
→
mother-in-law
las suegras
=
mothers-in-law
el yerno
→
son-in-law
los yernos
=
sons-in-law
la nuera
→
daughter-in-law
las nueras
=
daughters-in-law
el cuñado
→
brother-in-law
los cuñados
=
brothers-in-law
la cuñada
→
sister-in-law
las cuñadas
=
sisters-in-law
Relationships & social connections
el amigo
→
friend (male)
la amiga
→
friend (female)
el novio
→
boyfriend/fiancé
la novia
→
girlfriend/fiancée
el chico
→
boy
la chica
→
girl
el compañero
→
partner/companion
la compañera
→
partner/companion
el colega
→
colleague
la colega
→
colleague
el vecino
→
neighbour (male)
la vecina
→
neighbour (female)
el conocido
→
acquaintance (male)
la conocida
→
acquaintance (female)
el jefe
→
boss (male)
la jefa
→
boss (female)
el invitado
→
guest (male)
la invitada
→
guest (female)
el extranjero
→
foreigner (male)
la extranjera
→
foreigner (female)
Professions
el médico
→
doctor (male)
la médica
→
doctor (female)
el profesor
→
teacher
la profesora
→
teacher (female)
el estudiante
→
student
la estudiante
→
student (female)
el abogado
→
lawyer (male)
la abogada
→
lawyer (female)
el camarero
→
waiter
la camarera
→
waitress
el vendedor
→
salesman
la vendedora
→
saleswoman
el trabajador
→
worker (male)
la trabajadora
→
worker (female)
el empleado
→
employee (male)
la empleada
→
employee (female)
el policía
→
police officer
same for both genders
el cocinero
→
cook (male)
la cocinera
→
cook (female)
el conductor
→
driver (male)
la conductora
→
driver (female)
el periodista
→
journalist (male)
la periodista
→
journalist (female)
el artista
→
artist (male)
la artista
→
artist (female)
Expressing age
Tengo veinte años
→
I am twenty years old
(have + years)
¿Cuántos años tienes?
→
How old are you?
(literally: how many years do you have?)
un niño de 5 años
→
a 5-year-old child
Es mayor que yo
→
He/she is older than me
Es menor que tú
→
He/she is younger than you
Tenemos la misma edad
→
We are the same age
un hombre mayor
→
an older man
una mujer de mediana edad
→
a middle-aged woman
un adolescente
→
a teenager
un bebé
→
a baby
