In this lesson, you’ll learn how to use essential Spanish adjectives like big (grande), small (pequeño/a), long (largo/a), short (corto/a), tall (alto/a), and short (bajo/a) to describe people, objects, and places in everyday situations.
Through simple, real-life examples and guided practice, you’ll:
- Understand how to use adjectives accurately in Spanish sentences
- Learn how to match adjectives with gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural)
- Expand your basic Spanish vocabulary for describing the world around you
- Gain confidence in using Spanish descriptive words in conversation
Perfect for A1-level learners, this lesson makes learning Spanish adjectives fun, practical, and easy to remember.
Learn
First, it’s important to understand that these adjectives help us describe:
- The physical characteristics of people (like height)
- The size and shape of objects or places
Grande and Pequeño/a – Big and Small
We use “grande” (big) and “pequeño/a” (small) to describe the size of something.
Examples:
- La casa es grande. → The house is big.
- Mi perro es pequeño. → My dog is small.
Largo/a and Corto/a – Long and Short (in length)
These adjectives are used to describe the length of an object or distance.
Examples:
- Tengo una bufanda larga. → I have a long scarf.
- El camino es corto. → The path is short.
Alto/a and Bajo/a – Tall and Short (in height)
We use “alto” (tall) and “bajo” (short) to describe the height of a person or thing.
Examples:
- Mi hermano es alto. → My brother is tall.
- El edificio es bajo. → The building is short (not tall).
Note on Gender Agreement:
In Spanish, adjectives change their ending depending on whether the noun is masculine or feminine:
- Masculine: pequeño, alto, corto
- Feminine: pequeña, alta, corta
Examples
Describing People
Antonio es alto y grande. Es el padre de la familia García y tiene un físico robusto.
Antonio is tall and big. He’s the father of the García family and has a strong build.
Lucía, la hija, es más baja que su padre, pero es alta para su edad.
Lucía, the daughter, is shorter than her father, but tall for her age.
Juan, el hijo menor, es bajo comparado con su padre, pero está creciendo rápido.
Juan, the youngest son, is short compared to his father, but he’s growing quickly.
Describing Objects and Places
La casa de la familia García es grande y tiene un jardín largo y bonito.
The García family’s house is big and has a long, beautiful garden.
En el jardín, hay una mesa pequeña para tomar el té.
In the garden, there’s a small table for having tea.
Antonio tiene una guitarra con un mástil largo, con la que serena a su familia.
Antonio has a guitar with a long neck, which he uses to serenade his family.
Everyday Activities
Abuela Rosa hace vestidos. Algunos son largos para ocasiones especiales y otros son cortos para el día a día.
Grandma Rosa makes dresses. Some are long for special occasions, and others are short for everyday use.
Abuelo Miguel enseña a Carlos a pescar con una caña muy larga.
Grandpa Miguel teaches Carlos how to fish with a very long fishing rod.
Practice
Now it’s your turn to practice. Try describing someone or something using the adjectives you’ve learned. Here are some ideas:
Think about your family or friends: Who is tall? Who is short?
Describe your room: Is it big or small? Do you have any long or short objects?