Descriptive Adjectives in Portuguese
Introduction
In Portuguese, adjectives must agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify. This means that the form of the adjective changes depending on whether the noun is masculine or feminine, singular or plural.
Common Descriptive Adjectives
Agreement Examples
| English | Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tall | alto | alta | altos | altas |
| Old | velho | velha | velhos | velhas |
| Beautiful | bonito | bonita | bonitos | bonitas |
Sentence Examples
- Ele é alto. (He is tall.)
- Ela é alta. (She is tall.)
- Eles são altos. (They are tall.)
- Elas são altas. (They are tall.)
- O carro é velho. (The car is old.)
- A casa é velha. (The house is old.)
- Os livros são velhos. (The books are old.)
- As cadeiras são velhas. (The chairs are old.)
- Ele é bonito. (He is beautiful.)
- Ela é bonita. (She is beautiful.)
- Eles são bonitos. (They are beautiful.)
- Elas são bonitas. (They are beautiful.)
Conclusion
Descriptive adjectives in Portuguese must agree with the gender and number of the nouns they describe. This ensures that sentences are grammatically correct and convey the intended meaning.