Describing People in Spanish

Grade 4 · Spanish · Study Guide

Learn how to describe what people look like and what their personality is like using Spanish adjectives.

In Spanish, we use adjectives to describe people. Adjectives tell us what someone looks like (physical description) or what kind of person they are (personality).

One important rule in Spanish is that adjectives must agree in gender with the noun they describe. Most adjectives that end in -o are used for males, and the same adjective changes to -a for females. For example, 'alto' means tall when describing a boy, and 'alta' means tall when describing a girl.

To say what someone is like, you use the verb 'ser' (to be). The two most common forms you will use are 'es' (he/she is) and 'soy' (I am). For example: 'Mi amigo es simpático' means 'My friend is nice.' 'Ella es inteligente' means 'She is intelligent.'

Some adjectives end in -e or a consonant and stay the same for both males and females. 'Inteligente' (intelligent) and 'joven' (young) do not change based on gender.

When describing hair, you say 'tiene el pelo...' which means 'has... hair.' For eyes, you say 'tiene los ojos...' which means 'has... eyes.' This lets you build detailed descriptions of the people around you.

Key terms

Adjective (adjetivo)
A word that describes a person, place, or thing. In Spanish, it must match the gender of the noun.
Ser
The Spanish verb meaning 'to be,' used to describe permanent characteristics like personality and appearance.
Alto / Alta
Tall — 'alto' for males and 'alta' for females.
Simpático / Simpática
Nice or friendly — changes ending depending on whether the person is male or female.
Tiene el pelo
A Spanish phrase meaning 'has... hair,' used to describe someone's hair color or style.
Inteligente
Intelligent or smart — this adjective does not change based on gender.

Flashcards

Alto / Alta
Tall. Use 'alto' for males and 'alta' for females.
Bajo / Baja
Short. 'Bajo' for males, 'baja' for females.
Simpático / Simpática
Nice or friendly.
Inteligente
Intelligent or smart — same for males and females.
Tiene el pelo...
Has... hair. Example: 'Tiene el pelo negro' means 'She/He has black hair.'
Tiene los ojos...
Has... eyes. Example: 'Tiene los ojos azules' means 'She/He has blue eyes.'
Ser (es / soy)
The verb 'to be' used for descriptions. 'Es' = he/she is; 'Soy' = I am.
Joven
Young — does not change based on gender.

Questions

  1. How do you say 'She is tall' in Spanish?

    1. Ella es alto.
    2. Ella es alta.
    3. Él es alta.
    4. Ella tiene alta.
    Show answer

    Answer: Ella es alta.

    'Ella' means 'she,' which is feminine, so the adjective 'alto' must change to 'alta' to agree in gender.

  2. In Spanish, the adjective 'inteligente' changes to 'inteligento' when describing a boy.

    Show answer

    Answer: False

    'Inteligente' ends in -e, not -o, so it does not change based on gender. It stays 'inteligente' for both males and females.

  3. To say someone has brown hair in Spanish, you start with 'tiene el ________.'

    Show answer

    Answer: pelo

    'Tiene el pelo' means 'has... hair' in Spanish and is used to start a hair description.

  4. Which sentence correctly describes a friendly boy in Spanish?

    1. Él es simpática.
    2. Él es simpático.
    3. Él es simpáticoa.
    4. Él tiene simpático.
    Show answer

    Answer: Él es simpático.

    A boy is masculine, so you use 'simpático' (not 'simpática'). The verb 'es' from 'ser' is also correct for descriptions.

  5. The verb 'ser' is used in Spanish to describe personality and appearance.

    Show answer

    Answer: True

    In Spanish, the verb 'ser' is used for describing lasting traits like personality (nice, shy) and physical appearance (tall, short).

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