¡Hola de nuevo! Welcome to Chapter 18! Building on our discussions of daily routines, let's now talk about the people who often share those routines with us: our families! In this chapter, you'll learn the names for various family members and how to describe them using adjectives. We'll also dive deeper into how adjectives change to match the nouns they describe – a key aspect of Spanish grammar.
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
(Optional Review): Think about Chapter 6 (El Verbo Ser) and Chapter 7 (El Verbo Estar). We used 'ser' for permanent characteristics and 'estar' for temporary states. When describing a person's inherent traits (like 'tall' or 'smart'), which verb do you think we'll use? (Answer: Ser)
In Spanish, adjectives must agree in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the noun they describe.
(Often follow the -o/-a rule, or consonant rule if applicable)
In Spanish, adjectives typically follow the noun they describe.
(There are exceptions, like "bueno/a" and "malo/a" sometimes preceding the noun, but we'll focus on the standard placement for now.)
Master family vocabulary and descriptive adjectives.
Import Chapter 18 Flashcards(Requires login to import/study)
Instructions: Draw a line to match the Spanish family member on the left with its English equivalent on the right.
el padre ( ) the grandparents
la hermana ( ) the son
los hijos ( ) the mother
el hijo ( ) the father
la madre ( ) the children
los abuelos ( ) the sisterAnswer Key:
el padre → the father
la hermana → the sister
los hijos → the children
el hijo → the son
la madre → the mother
los abuelos → the grandparentsInstructions: Choose the correct form of the adjective in parentheses.
Answer Key:
Instructions: Read the description and choose the best adjective.
Answer Key:
Instructions: Fill in the blanks using a family member and an adjective in the correct form. (Answers will vary)
(No specific answer key as answers are personal.)
Instructions: Write two sentences describing yourself using adjectives we've learned. Write two sentences describing a friend (male or female) using adjectives. (Answers will vary)
(No specific answer key as answers are personal.)
Instructions: Answer the following questions about your family in complete Spanish sentences. (Answers will vary)
(No specific answer key as answers are personal. Example: Tengo dos hermanos.)
Instructions: In pairs, one person thinks of a family member (real or imagined) and describes them using 3-4 adjectives (physical and personality). The other person tries to guess who it is.
Example:
Student A: Es alta, tiene el pelo largo y es muy divertida.
Student B: ¿Es tu hermana? Instructions: In pairs, choose a famous family (e.g., a family from a movie, a historical family). Take turns describing different members using vocabulary from this chapter.
Instructions: Bring a family photo (or a picture of someone you know) to class (or imagine one). Describe the people in the photo to a partner using the new vocabulary and adjective agreement.
Family is a central pillar in Spanish-speaking cultures. The concept of 'la familia' often extends beyond the nuclear family to include extended family members like grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, who often play a significant role in daily life and decision-making.
It's common to have large family gatherings, especially for holidays, birthdays, and other celebrations. These events are important for maintaining strong family bonds.
Respect for elders is highly valued. Grandparents often live with their adult children or nearby and are deeply integrated into family life.
Terms like 'mi hijo/a' (my son/daughter) can sometimes be used endearingly even for people who are not biologically one's child, reflecting a sense of community and care.
Understanding the subtle differences between similar words can greatly enhance your fluency. Let's look at a couple of common pairs.
Viejo/a : This adjective literally means "old". When used for objects (e.g., una casa vieja - an old house, un coche viejo - an old car), it's perfectly natural and has no negative connotation. However, when applied to people, especially directly, it can sometimes carry a slightly blunt, informal, or even disrespectful tone, implying frailty or being past one's prime. While grammatically correct, many native speakers avoid it for people in polite conversation.
Example (for objects): La silla es vieja. (The chair is old.)
Example (for people, use with caution/context): Mi perro es muy viejo. (My dog is very old.) - Okay for pets.
Mayor : This adjective literally means "older" (comparative form of grande - big/large). When used to describe a person's age, it is almost always preferred because it sounds much more respectful and polite. It can mean "older" in a comparative sense (e.g., más mayor que is redundant, just use mayor que) or "elderly" in an absolute sense. It carries a sense of wisdom or seniority rather than just age.
Example (polite for people): Mi abuela es mayor. (My grandmother is elderly / older.) - This is the respectful choice.
Example (comparative): Mi hermano es mayor que yo. (My brother is older than me.)
Key takeaway: When referring to the age of people, "mayor" is almost always the safer and more polite choice. Use "viejo/a" for objects.
Guapo/a : This adjective specifically refers to the attractiveness of people. It means "handsome" (for a male) or "beautiful/good-looking" (for a female). It implies a general sense of attractiveness, often with a hint of striking good looks or a charming presence. It's a very common and direct compliment for someone's appearance.
Example: Él es un hombre muy guapo. (He is a very handsome man.)
Example: ¡Qué chica tan guapa! (What a beautiful/good-looking girl!)
Bonito/a : This adjective is more versatile and means "pretty," "lovely," or "nice." While it can be used for people, it often implies a more delicate, sweet, or cute beauty, especially for women or children. Its most common use is for objects, animals, and places. It conveys a softer kind of beauty compared to guapo/a.
Example (for people): Ella tiene unos ojos bonitos. (She has pretty eyes.)
Example (for things/places): ¡Qué flor tan bonita! (What a pretty flower!)
Example (for animals): Es un perro muy bonito. (It's a very cute/nice dog.)
Hermoso/a : This is a stronger adjective meaning "beautiful," "gorgeous," or "lovely." It conveys a deeper, more profound, or grand beauty than bonito/a. It can be used for people, places, and things, but it's typically reserved for something truly stunning or awe-inspiring.
Example (for people): La novia estaba hermosa. (The bride was gorgeous.)
Example (for places/things): Es un paisaje hermoso. (It's a beautiful landscape.)
Example (for abstract concepts): Una canción hermosa. (A beautiful song.)
Key takeaway: Use "guapo/a" primarily for general attractiveness of people. Use "bonito/a" for "pretty" things or a softer beauty in people. Reserve "hermoso/a" for "beautiful" in a more profound or striking sense, applicable to people, places, and things.
Read about Mateo's big family!
Mateo es un chico de treinta y cinco años. Él vive en España. Mateo tiene una familia muy grande.
Sus padres se llaman José y María. José es alto y tiene el pelo corto y moreno. María es más baja y tiene el pelo largo y liso. Los dos son muy trabajadores y simpáticos.
Mateo tiene dos hermanos: una hermana y un hermano. Su hermana, Ana, es joven y muy inteligente. Ella tiene los ojos azules. Su hermano, Pablo, es extrovertido y divertido. Él es un poco gordo.
Mateo también tiene muchos tíos y tías. Su tía abuela, Carmen, es la persona más vieja de la familia, pero es muy alegre. Ella tiene setenta y ocho años.
Mateo tiene cinco primos. Son jóvenes y muy diferentes. Dos primas son rubias y tres primos son morenos. Todos son amables.
Para Mateo, la familia es muy importante. Todos son felices juntos.
Mateo is a thirty-five-year-old boy/man. He lives in Spain. Mateo has a very big family.
His parents are named José and María. José is tall and has short, dark hair. María is shorter and has long, straight hair. Both are very hard-working and friendly.
Mateo has two siblings: a sister and a brother. His sister, Ana, is young and very intelligent. She has blue eyes. His brother, Pablo, is extroverted and fun. He is a little fat.
Mateo also has many uncles and aunts. His great-aunt, Carmen, is the oldest person in the family, but she is very cheerful. She is seventy-eight years old.
Mateo has five cousins. They are young and very different. Two female cousins are blond, and three male cousins are dark-haired. All are kind.
For Mateo, family is very important. Everyone is happy together.
Family: la familia, el padre, la madre, los padres, el hijo, la hija, los hijos, el hermano, la hermana, los hermanos, el abuelo, la abuela, los abuelos, el tío, la tía, los tíos, el primo, la prima, los primos, el esposo, la esposa, el novio, la novia, el amigo, la amiga.
Adjectives (Physical/Personality): alto/a, bajo/a, gordo/a, delgado/a, joven, viejo/a, guapo/a, bonito/a, feo/a, rubio/a, moreno/a, pelirrojo/a, grande, pequeño/a, el pelo, los ojos, azul, verde, marrón, negro/a, largo/a, corto/a, rizado/a, liso/a, simpático/a, antipático/a, inteligente, tonto/a, divertido/a, aburrido/a, trabajador/a, perezoso/a, serio/a, alegre, triste, generoso/a, tímido/a, extrovertido/a, amable, honesto/a.
Other: su, sus, la persona, más, de, pero, todos, juntos, mayor.
Adjective agreement (gender and number), typical adjective placement (after the noun), review of "ser."
¡Excelente trabajo learning to describe your family and mastering adjective agreement! You've significantly expanded your descriptive abilities. In our next chapter, '¿Cómo es tu casa?' (What is Your House Like?), we will apply these descriptive skills to talk about homes and furniture. You'll learn vocabulary for different rooms and items in a house, and we'll practice using 'estar' to describe location within a home. Get ready to describe your living space in Spanish!