50 Essential Spanish Adjectives with Examples: Speak Spanish Confidently

Learning Spanish adjectives is key to describing people, places, and things clearly. Whether you’re chatting with friends, traveling, or writing, knowing the most common adjectives makes your Spanish more expressive and natural.

In this guide, we’ll cover 50 essential Spanish adjectives with example sentences to help you use them in everyday conversation.

1. Adjectives for Describing People

Alto / Alta – tall
Él es muy alto. → He is very tall.
Bajo / Baja – short
Ella es baja pero rápida. → She is short but fast.
Joven – young
Mi hermano es joven. → My brother is young.
Viejo / Vieja – old
La casa es vieja. → The house is old.
Guapo / Guapa – handsome / beautiful
Él es guapo. → He is handsome.
Feo / Fea – ugly
El edificio es feo. → The building is ugly.
Amable – kind
La profesora es amable. → The teacher is kind.
Simpático / Simpática – friendly
Mi vecino es simpático. → My neighbor is friendly.
Inteligente – intelligent
Ella es muy inteligente. → She is very intelligent.
Trabajador / Trabajadora – hardworking
Mi amigo es trabajador. → My friend is hardworking.

2. Adjectives for Describing Emotions and Personality

Feliz – happy
Estoy feliz hoy. → I am happy today.
Triste – sad
Él está triste. → He is sad.
Cansado / Cansada – tired
Después del viaje, estoy cansada. → After the trip, I am tired.
Emocionado / Emocionada – excited
Estamos emocionados por la fiesta. → We are excited for the party.
Enojado / Enojada – angry
Ella está enojada. → She is angry.
Nervioso / Nerviosa – nervous
Estoy nervioso antes del examen. → I am nervous before the exam.
Calmado / Calmada – calm
El bebé está calmado. → The baby is calm.
Sociable – sociable
Mi primo es muy sociable. → My cousin is very sociable.
Divertido / Divertida – fun / funny
La película es divertida. → The movie is fun.
Serio / Seria – serious
El profesor es serio. → The teacher is serious.

3. Adjectives for Describing Objects and Places

Grande – big
La casa es grande. → The house is big.
Pequeño / Pequeña – small
El apartamento es pequeño. → The apartment is small.
Bonito / Bonita – pretty / nice
El jardín es bonito. → The garden is pretty.
Feo / Fea – ugly
El coche es feo. → The car is ugly.
Nuevo / Nueva – new
Compré un libro nuevo. → I bought a new book.
Viejo / Vieja – old
Este teléfono es viejo. → This phone is old.
Limpio / Limpia – clean
La cocina está limpia. → The kitchen is clean.
Sucio / Sucia – dirty
Los platos están sucios. → The dishes are dirty.
Rápido / Rápida – fast
El coche es rápido. → The car is fast.
Lento / Lenta – slow
El tren es lento. → The train is slow.

4. Adjectives for Taste, Temperature, and Size

Dulce – sweet
El pastel es dulce. → The cake is sweet.
Salado / Salada – salty
Las papas son saladas. → The fries are salty.
Amargo / Amarga – bitter
El café está amargo. → The coffee is bitter.
Caliente – hot
El té está caliente. → The tea is hot.
Frío / Fría – cold
El agua está fría. → The water is cold.
Grande – big / large
El perro es grande. → The dog is big.
Pequeño / Pequeña – small / little
El gato es pequeño. → The cat is small.
Ligero / Ligera – light
La mochila es ligera. → The backpack is light.
Pesado / Pesada – heavy
La caja es pesada. → The box is heavy.
Rico / Rica – delicious / tasty
La comida está rica. → The food is delicious.

5. Adjectives for Colors, Time, and Miscellaneous

Rojo / Roja – red
La manzana es roja. → The apple is red.
Azul – blue
El cielo es azul. → The sky is blue.
Verde – green
La hoja es verde. → The leaf is green.
Amarillo / Amarilla – yellow
El sol es amarillo. → The sun is yellow.
Rápido / Rápida – fast
El tren es rápido. → The train is fast.
Tarde – late
Llegué tarde a la clase. → I arrived late to class.
Temprano – early
Me levanté temprano. → I woke up early.
Fácil – easy
El examen es fácil. → The exam is easy.
Difícil – difficult
La tarea es difícil. → The homework is difficult.
Importante – important
Es importante estudiar. → It’s important to study.

Tips for Learning Spanish Adjectives

Practice gender and number agreement – Spanish adjectives change depending on the noun.
Use flashcards or apps – Reinforce memory with Anki, Quizlet, or Duolingo.
Make simple sentences – Combine adjectives with verbs: La comida está rica.
Listen and repeat – Watch Spanish shows or YouTube videos to hear adjectives in context.

Conclusion

Mastering these 50 essential Spanish adjectives will give you the ability to describe people, objects, and emotions with ease. Regular practice with real sentences will help you speak more naturally and confidently in everyday conversations.