Want to take your Spanish conversations beyond "hola" and "gracias"? Learning how to describe people is a fantastic way to make your language skills more dynamic and personal. Whether you're talking about a new friend, a character in a movie, or your own family, the right adjectives are essential.
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from the key verbs to use to extensive lists of adjectives for both physical appearance and personality. ¡Vamos!
The Key Verbs: Ser, Estar, and Tener
Before we jump into the adjectives, we need to know which verbs to use. In Spanish, describing people mainly involves three verbs: ser, estar, and tener.
Ser (to be): Use
serfor permanent or inherent qualities. This includes most personality traits and physical characteristics that don't change, like height or general appearance.Example: Ella es alta y simpática. (She is tall and nice.)
Tener (to have): Use
tenerto talk about features you possess, most commonly hair and eyes. You also use it to state someone's age.Example: Él tiene el pelo castaño y los ojos verdes. (He has brown hair and green eyes.)
Estar (to be): Use
estarfor temporary states or conditions, like emotions or current physical states. It's less about core description and more about how someone is right now.Example: Hoy mi hermano está cansado. (Today my brother is tired.)
For describing what people are like, you'll mostly be using ser and tener.
The Golden Rule: Noun-Adjective Agreement
This is super important in Spanish! Adjectives must always match the gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) of the noun (the person) they describe.
Here’s a quick breakdown:
Masculine Singular (he): Adjective often ends in -o. (e.g., alto)
Feminine Singular (she): Change the -o to -a. (e.g., alta)
Masculine Plural (they, a group of men or a mixed group): Add -s to the masculine singular form. (e.g., altos)
Feminine Plural (they, a group of women): Add -s to the feminine singular form. (e.g., altas)
What if the adjective doesn't end in -o?
If an adjective ends in -e or a consonant (like inteligente or joven), it's the same for both masculine and feminine forms. You only need to add -s or -es to make it plural.
El chico es inteligente. / La chica es inteligente.
Los chicos son inteligentes. / Las chicas son inteligentes.
Spanish adjetives to describe people
Let's break down how to describe someone from head to toe.
General Appearance
Here are some common adjectives to give an overall impression. Remember to use the verb ser.
| Spanish Adjective | English Meaning |
| guapo/a | handsome / beautiful, good-looking |
| bonito/a | pretty |
| feo/a | ugly |
| atractivo/a | attractive |
| joven | young |
| mayor / viejo/a | old / elderly (mayor is more polite) |
Example: Mi abuela es mayor, pero muy activa. (My grandma is elderly, but very active.)
Height and Build (La Altura y la Complexión)
Use ser to describe someone's height and body type.
| Spanish Adjective | English Meaning |
| alto/a | tall |
| bajo/a | short (height) |
| de estatura mediana | of medium height |
| delgado/a / flaco/a | thin / skinny |
| gordo/a | fat (gordito/a is a more affectionate diminutive) |
| fuerte | strong |
| débil | weak |
Example: El jugador de baloncesto es muy alto y fuerte. (The basketball player is very tall and strong.)
YouTube short Describing people in Spanish
Hair (El Pelo / El Cabello)
Describing hair is a two-part process. You use the verb tener with the formula:
Tener + el pelo + [length, style, color]
It's also common to use ser with some hair adjectives, like ser calvo (to be bald) or ser rubio (to be blonde).
| Category | Spanish | English |
| Length | largo | long |
| corto | short | |
| Style | liso | straight |
| ondulado | wavy | |
| rizado | curly | |
| Color | negro | black |
| castaño / marrón | brown | |
| rubio | blonde | |
| pelirrojo | red | |
| canoso | gray / white |
Examples:
Sara tiene el pelo largo, rizado y castaño. (Sara has long, curly, brown hair.)
Mi padre es calvo. (My father is bald.)
Yo soy rubia. (I am blonde.)
Eyes (Los Ojos)
Similar to hair, you use the verb tener to describe eyes.
Tener + los ojos + [color]
| Spanish (plural) | English |
| negros | black |
| marrones / cafés | brown |
| verdes | green |
| azules | blue |
| grises | gray |
Example: El bebé tiene los ojos azules muy grandes. (The baby has very big blue eyes.)
Describing Personality (La Personalidad)
Personality traits are considered inherent qualities, so you'll almost always use the verb ser. Below is a list of common adjectives to describe what someone is like.
Positive and Friendly Traits 😊
| Spanish Adjective | English Meaning |
| simpático/a | nice, friendly |
| amable | kind, friendly |
| agradable | pleasant |
| divertido/a | fun, amusing |
| gracioso/a / cómico/a | funny |
| inteligente | intelligent, smart |
| trabajador(a) | hard-working |
| generoso/a | generous |
| honesto/a | honest |
| optimista | optimistic |
| paciente | patient |
| educado/a | polite |
Example: Mi profesora es muy paciente y amable. (My teacher is very patient and kind.)
Negative or Unfriendly Traits 😠
| Spanish Adjective | English Meaning |
| antipático/a | unfriendly, mean |
| aburrido/a | boring |
| perezoso/a | lazy |
| egoísta | selfish |
| tacaño/a | stingy, cheap |
| pesimista | pessimistic |
| maleducado/a | rude |
| mentiroso/a | lying, dishonest |
Example: No me gusta esa persona, es muy egoísta. (I don't like that person, he is very selfish.)
Neutral or Situational Traits 🤔
| Spanish Adjective | English Meaning |
| serio/a | serious |
| tímido/a | shy |
| callado/a | quiet |
| hablador(a) | talkative |
| sensible | sensitive |
| tranquilo/a | calm, quiet |
| nervioso/a | nervous |
Example: Mi hermano es callado en casa, pero es hablador con sus amigos. (My brother is quiet at home, but he is talkative with his friends.)
Putting It All Together: Examples
Let's combine everything we've learned to create a couple of complete descriptions.
Describing Maria:
María es una mujer joven. Es alta y delgada. Tiene el pelo largo, liso y negro. También tiene los ojos marrones. En cuanto a su personalidad, es muy simpática y trabajadora. Siempre está sonriendo porque es una persona muy optimista.
(Maria is a young woman. She is tall and thin. She has long, straight, black hair. She also has brown eyes. As for her personality, she is very nice and hard-working. She is always smiling because she is a very optimistic person.)
Describing Carlos:
Carlos es mi mejor amigo. Es de estatura mediana y un poco gordito. Es pelirrojo y tiene los ojos verdes. Es una persona muy divertida y graciosa; ¡siempre cuenta los mejores chistes! A veces puede ser un poco perezoso con las tareas de la escuela.
(Carlos is my best friend. He is of medium height and a little chubby. He is a redhead and has green eyes. He is a very fun and funny person; he always tells the best jokes! Sometimes he can be a little lazy with schoolwork.)
By mastering these verbs and adjectives, you'll be able to paint a vivid picture of anyone you meet. Remember to practice by describing your friends, family, and even yourself. ¡Buena suerte!
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