CSG226

Adjectives    215

Where Are Adjeetives Placed in Spanisli?

The position of adjectives in Spanish is related to the information they provide about the noun they modify. Adjectives that add information or describe qualities generally follow the noun. However, there are exceptions to this rule:

•    Descriptive adjectives that emphasize intrinsic characteristics are placed before the noun.

El fiero león pasea por la selva.    Theferocious lion wanders in thejungle.

These adjectives are called epithets (epitetos). Epithets do not add new information; they stress certain inherent qualities. They appear morę frequently in written Spanish and in liter-ary style.

•    Limiting adjectives, adjectives that indicate numbers and amounts, and possessive and de-monstrative adjectives are placed before the noun.

Queremos dos helados.    We want two ice creams.

Hoy estoy menos paciente.    Today I am less patient.

Mis próbie mas no son tus problemas.    M y problems are not your problems.

Este edificio tiene cuatro ascensores. This buildinghasfour eleuators.

See Unit 21 for the study of possessive and demonstrative adjectives and Unit 26 for numbers.

Adjectives that indicate numbers and amounts are called indefinidos when they do not desig-nate specific numbers or amounts of things, people, or ideas.

Here is a list of common adjectives of quantity, with their corresponding gender and number forms. Notę that some have the same ending for both masculine and feminine.

some enough as much many

no, not any

few

sufficient various, few

algun/alguna/algunos/algunas bastante /bastantes cuanto/cuanta/cuantos/cuantas mucho/mucha/ muchos/ muchas ningun/ ninguna/ ningunos/ ningunas poco/pocą/pocos/pocas suficiente /suficientes varios/varias

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ejercicio

El adjetivo, lantes o despues del nombre? Usa la forma apropiada del adjetwo entre parentesis. Afterreading the sentence, place the correct form of the adjectwe in the appropńate place.

1. La_ tortuga_no puede ganar lacarrera (race), (lento)

2.    ^Quien tiene_las respuestas_para la tarea? (correcto)

3.    No hay_regalos_para todos los nińos. (suficiente)

4. El_invierno_es largo, (frfo)

5.    El tiburón (shark) no es siempre un_animal__(agresivo)