Parts of Speech: Adjectives

In English, there is a list of classifications for the words we use. We call this list "Parts of Speech" or "Partes de la Oración"

When you are starting studying English as a Second Language, you probably know some common English adjectives like "fine, intelligent, famous, important, or big".

That's more than enough, because by understanding the use of one or two adjectives, you will be able to expand your vocabulary very quickly, as you will have the ability to use and experiment with new words with much more confidence and certainty when speaking or expressing ourselves in English.

Do You Speak Spanish? Good News.

Did you know that many English adjectives come from Latin, French, or Spanish? Although it's not an exact science, it's estimated that around 40% of English adjectives have roots in these languages. This can make learning English vocabulary a bit easier for Spanish speakers, as there are often similarities in the words! Of course, it's not always that obvious, and sometimes they share roots but are not exactly the same.

English: 1 - Spanish: 0

There are certain basic differences between the two languages, but the biggest one is probably that in English there is only one version of an adjective, regardless of gender or number. Point for English. English is a very neutral language!

10 English Adjectives

Here is a small list of popular adjectives in English that we have in common in both languages, their meaning in Spanish and a practical example. You will find many words that sound very similar to Spanish or even look identical.

Observe how the verb "To be" is always positioned between the subject and the adjective, or behind something or someone. We will address this in the next lesson.

English	Spanish	Example
Abstract	Abstracto	My art is abstract.
Exact	Exactas	Mathematics is an exact science.
Ancient	Antiguas	Mayan ruins are ancient.
Annual	Anual	The Oscars is an annual festival.
Classic	Clásica	Forrest Gump is a classic movie.
Common	Comunes	Many common words in English come from Spanish
Practical	Prácticas	Complex problems require practical solutions.
Different	Diferentes	Brazilians and Argentinians speak different languages.
Direct	Directa	His question is very direct. Everyone is surprised.
Flexible	Flexible	My working schedule is very flexible! I love it.

We call these words "Cognates". But for now, this information is more than enough.

Remember, you can test your knowledge on our web application by clicking the orange button below. See you in the next lesson!