Adjective Placement Flashcards
What are differentiating adjectives?
color, size, shape, condition, nationality, group or any kind of classification when this is the not the norm
for example white is non-differentiating when refering to snow because snow is usually white but it is differentiating when talking about a house because not all houses are white
Past participles used as adjectives
usually follow the noun because they express a condition
adjectivial phrases (de + noun)
always follow the noun
descriptive adjectives modified by a verb
always follow the noun
differentiating adjectives
follow the noun
What are non-differentiating adjectives?
if the adjective can be omitted without a loss in meaning it is probably non-differentiating
eg) his father gave him a beautiful clock for his birthday –> the work beautiful can be omitted without a great loss in meaning
eg) his father gave him an alarm clock for his birthday –> the work alarm cannot be omitted
un hermoso reloj vs un reloj despertador
three types of non-differentitating adjectives are placed before the noun
1) adjectives that express qualitites in herent in the noun (white snow)
2) subjective adjectives (beautiful)
3) Adjectives that normally would be differentiating are often placed before the noun in poems or written descriptions that have a poetic tone
a corto (largo) plazo
short (long) term
Bellas Artes
Fine Arts
La Divina Comedia
The Divine Comedy
libre pensador (librepensador)
freethinker
mala hierba
weed
mala suerte
bad luck
(la) pura verdad
(the) real truth
el Santo Padre
the Holy Father
(hacer) su santa voluntad
(to do) as one pleases
una solemne tontería
a very foolish thing
in exclamations
comes before the noun
eg) Que hermosa día!
eg) Increíble suceso!
antiguo before and after
before = former, of long standing, ex-
after = very old, ancient
cierto before and after
before = certain
after = sure, definite
diferente before and after
before = various
after = different
medio before and after
before = half
after = average
mismo before and after
before = same, very
after = -self
nuevo before and after
before = another
after = brand-new
pobre before and after
before = poor (unfortunate, pitiful)
after= penniless, needy
propio before and after
before = own (used as an intensifier)
after = own (of one’s ownership)
puro before and after
before = sheer
after = pure
raro before and after
before = rare (few)
after = strange, odd, uncommon
simple before and after
before = just, mere
after = simple-minded
único before and after
before = only, single
after = unique
viejo before and after
before = old (of long standing)
after = old (in years)
noun and 1 differentiating + 1 nondifferentiating
nondifferentiating + noun + differentiating
noun and 2 or more differentiating adjectives
noun + differentiating, differentiating y differentiating
the adjective considered the most important is placed closest to the noun
noun with two adjectives where one is an adjectivial phrase
the other adjective (wether differentiating or not) is often placed before the noun for balance especially if it is somewhat subjective
noun and 2 or more nondifferentiating adjectives
nondifferentiating + non differentiating + noun
