DIV: Gramática Lesson - Short-Form Adjectives
Short-Form Adjectives
Some Spanish adjectivos need to be shortened when they come before a singular masculine noun. The fancy term for this shortening process is apocopation.
| Original Adjective | Shortened Adjective | Example |
|---|---|---|
| bueno malo |
buen mal |
Nice es un buen chico. No seas un mal amigo. |
Video Presentation
So, why are there short forms in Spanish? Watch this video. As always, be prepared to take notes and press pause when needed.
Common Shortened Adjectives
Below is a list of some common shortened adjectives.
| Original Adjective | Shortened Adjective | English Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| bueno | buen | good |
| malo | mal | bad |
| uno | un | one |
| primero | primer | first |
| tercero | tercer | third |
| ciento | cien | one hundred |
| cualquiera | cualquier | any, whatever |
| alguno | algún | some |
| ninguno | ningún | none |
Santo Cielo
Santo is an adjective that is shortened only before certain nouns. It is not shortened with names that begin with Do- or To- or when it precedes a common noun. For example:
- San Francisco: Saint Francis
- San Miguel: Saint Michael
- Santo Domingo: Saint Dominic
- In an expresión: Todo el santo día: all day long
Grande: Big Changes
Grande is shortened when it precedes both masculine and feminine singular nouns. For example:
- Vive en una gran casa: She lives in a great house.
- Es un gran músico: He is a great musician.
Practice Activity
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