Overview
In English, adjectives usually precede, or go before, the noun they describe. In Spanish, most of the time, it is the opposite. In general, adjectives follow the nouns they describe.
Me gustan las flores rojas.
I like red flowers.
Mi hermano es un hombre alto.
My brother is a tall man.
Prefiero el café negro.
I prefer black coffee.
There are several exceptions to this rule which are explained below.
Adjective Placement Exceptions
For the following instances, the adjective is placed in front of the noun it describes.
1. Descriptive adjectives that emphasize an essential quality of a noun
An essential quality of a noun is something that is implicitly obvious about a noun even without the adjective being present.
El valiente león protege su territorio.
The brave lion protects his territory.
La dulce miel es deliciosa en pan tostado.
Sweet honey is delicious on toast.
Las verdes hojas del árbol cantan en el viento.
The green leaves of the tree sing in the breeze.
2. Limiting adjectives that define a number or amount of a noun, even if it is not specific.
Los niños quieren ocho helados.
The children want eight ice creams.
Tengo menos dinero que mi hermana.
I have less money than my sister.
Hay pocas naranjas este verano.
There are few oranges this summer.
Tienes suficiente tiempo.
You have sufficient time.
Below you will find a list of common limiting adjectives. Remember that all numbers are limiting adjectives as well.
Spanish English
alguno
some
bastante
enough
cuanto
as much
demasiado
too much
mucho
a lot
ninguno
no, none
poco
a little
suficiente
sufficient, enough
varios
various, some, a few
3. Possessive adjectives (mi, tu, su, etc.) or demonstrative adjectives (ese, este, aquel).
Mi hermana es alta.
My sister is tall.
Nuestro perro es muy amable.
Our dog is very friendly.
Este árbol tiene muchas manzanas.
This tree has a lot of apples.
Estas sillas son cómodas.
These chairs are comfortable.
4. Meaning-changing adjectives
Some adjectives can mean different things depending on their placement around the noun they modify.
When placed after the noun like normal, the adjective carries a fairly objective, descriptive meaning.
When placed before the noun, the adjective carries a more subjective, opinionated meaning.
Gabriel García Márquez es un gran autor.
Gabriel García Márquez is a great author.
Yo tengo una casa grande.
I have a big house.
Pablo es mi viejo amigo.
Pablo is my long-time friend.
Juanita es mi amiga vieja.
Juanita is my elderly friend.
Below you will find a list of common meaning-changing adjectives with their meanings when they are placed before and after the noun.
Adjective Before the noun After the noun
alto
top/high-class tall
antiguo
old/former/ancient antique
bajo
of low quality short
bueno
simple/good good/gentle/generous
cierto
certain true/right
cualquier
any (of those available) any (type doesn't matter)
diferente
various different
distinto
various different
dulce
good/nice sweet
grande
great big
mismo
same himself/herself
nuevo
another /newly acquired new/newly made
pobre
unfortunate poor
propio
his/her own especially for someone
puro
sheer/nothing but pure
raro
rare strange
simple
mere simple/modest
solo
one lonely
triste
dreadful sad
único
only unique
varios
several different
viejo
former/long-time old/aged
