Adjective Agreement

Level 1

An adjective matches its noun in gender and number: un coche vermello, unha casa vermella, uns zapatos vermellos, unhas casas vermellas.

How It Works

Four forms. An adjective in -o has four forms, one for each combination of gender and number:

  • un coche vermello (a red car)
  • unha casa vermella (a red house)
  • uns zapatos vermellos (some red shoes)
  • unhas camisas vermellas (some red shirts)

Agreement after ser and estar. The adjective still matches the subject: A sopa está fría (The soup is cold), Os nenos están cansos (The children are tired).

Mixed groups. When an adjective describes masculine and feminine nouns together, use the masculine plural: O pai e a nai están contentos (The father and the mother are happy).

Follow the Galician gender. Agreement follows the gender of the Galician noun, which may differ from Spanish: o leite frío (the cold milk), a viaxe longa (the long trip). See Noun Gender.

Some adjectives have only one form for both genders, such as alegre and feliz; see Adjectives With One Form for Both Genders. For the plural endings, see Plural With -s and Plural With -es.

Examples (6)

  1. Teño un coche vermello.

    I have a red car.

    Coche is masculine singular, so vermello.

  2. Vivo nunha casa vermella.

    I live in a red house.

    Casa is feminine singular, so vermella.

  3. Quero uns zapatos novos.

    I want some new shoes.

    Zapatos is masculine plural, so novos.

  4. As mazás están maduras.

    The apples are ripe.

    After estar, the adjective still agrees with mazás.

  5. O pai e a nai están contentos.

    The father and the mother are happy.

    A mixed group takes the masculine plural.

  6. Estas camisas son moi bonitas.

    These shirts are very pretty.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving the adjective in the masculine after a feminine noun.

    Vivo nunha casa vermello.
    Vivo nunha casa vermella.

    Casa is feminine, so the adjective must be vermella.

  • Using the feminine plural for a mixed group.

    O pai e a nai están contentas.
    O pai e a nai están contentos.

    When masculine and feminine nouns go together, the adjective is masculine plural.

  • Making the adjective agree with the Spanish gender of the noun.

    O leite está fría.
    O leite está frío.

    Leite is masculine in Galician, so the adjective is frío.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Adjective AgreementLevel 1

Learn This First

Adjectives match the noun's gender and number.

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Patterns that build on this one.

And 12 more in the full list.