Physical descriptions (AQA GCSE Spanish): Revision Notes
Physical descriptions in Spanish
When describing people's appearance in Spanish, you'll need to master key vocabulary and understand how adjectives work with nouns. This topic is essential for talking about yourself, family, and friends.
Essential vocabulary for describing appearance
Height and build
Learning to describe someone's height and build is fundamental when talking about physical appearance. In Spanish, these descriptions follow specific patterns that you need to memorise.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| alto/a | tall |
| bajo/a | short/small |
| delgado/a | slim |
| gordo/a | fat |
| fuerte | strong |
| guapo/a | good-looking |
| feo/a | ugly |
Notice how most of these adjectives end in -o (masculine) or -a (feminine). This will be important when we discuss adjectival agreement later.
Hair descriptions
Hair descriptions involve both colour and length, which you can combine to give detailed information about someone's appearance.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| tengo el pelo largo | I have long hair |
| tengo el pelo corto | I have short hair |
| tengo el pelo rubio | I have blonde hair |
| tengo el pelo marrón | I have brown hair |
| tengo el pelo negro | I have black hair |
| tengo el pelo rojo | I have red hair |
Eye colour and accessories
Eye colour descriptions and mentioning accessories like glasses are common in physical descriptions.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| tengo los ojos marrones | I have brown eyes |
| tengo los ojos azules | I have blue eyes |
| tengo los ojos grises | I have grey eyes |
| tengo los ojos verdes | I have green eyes |
| uso gafas / llevo gafas | I wear glasses |
Pay attention to the pattern: "tengo el pelo..." (I have ... hair) and "tengo los ojos..." (I have ... eyes). The articles "el" and "los" are always used with these expressions.
Grammar focus: Adjectival agreement
Understanding how adjectives change to match nouns is crucial for accurate Spanish. Adjectives must agree with the noun they describe in both gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural).
Key Rule: Adjectives must agree with the noun they describe in both gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural). This is one of the most important grammar rules in Spanish!
Agreement patterns
When describing people, adjectives follow these patterns:
Adjectives ending in -o:
- Masculine singular: alto
- Feminine singular: alta
- Masculine plural: altos
- Feminine plural: altas
Adjectives ending in -e:
- Masculine singular: verde
- Feminine singular: verde
- Masculine plural: verdes
- Feminine plural: verdes
Adjectives ending in a consonant:
- Masculine singular: azul
- Feminine singular: azul
- Masculine plural: azules
- Feminine plural: azules
This means when describing a girl, you'd say "ella es alta" (she is tall), but for a boy, "él es alto" (he is tall).
Using the verb tener
The verb tener (to have) is essential for describing physical features. You'll use it constantly when talking about hair, eyes, and other characteristics.
Present tense conjugation
| Person | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|
| yo | tengo | I have |
| tú | tienes | you have |
| él/ella | tiene | he/she has |
| nosotros | tenemos | we have |
| vosotros | tenéis | you (plural) have |
| ellos/ellas | tienen | they have |
Common Mistake to Avoid: Don't forget to change the verb form when talking about different people. "I have" = tengo, but "she has" = tiene, not "tengo"!
Example sentences and usage
Understanding how to construct complete sentences about physical appearance helps you communicate effectively about people's characteristics.
Practical Examples: Building Complete Descriptions
- "Soy alto/a" - I am tall
- "Tengo el pelo largo y rubio" - I have long blonde hair
- "Mi hermano tiene los ojos azules" - My brother has blue eyes
- "Mis hermanas llevan gafas" - My sisters wear glasses
- "Soy bastante fuerte y tengo el pelo corto" - I am quite strong and I have short hair
Notice how you can combine different descriptions to create more detailed sentences about appearance.
Practice exercises
Translation Practice
These exercises will help you apply what you've learned about physical descriptions and check your understanding of the key vocabulary and grammar rules.
Spanish to English translation
- Aquí estoy con unos amigos. Llevo una camiseta azul y Julia tiene el pelo rojo.
- Cris tiene la camiseta blanca y Alba es la chica con las gafas.
English to Spanish translation
- He is quite tall and has black hair.
- My sister has brown eyes but my mother has green eyes.
Answers
Spanish to English:
- Here I am with some friends. I'm wearing a blue t-shirt and Julia has red hair.
- Cris has the white t-shirt and Alba is the girl with glasses.
English to Spanish:
- Él es bastante alto y tiene el pelo negro.
- Mi hermana tiene los ojos marrones pero mi madre tiene los ojos verdes.
Key Points to Remember:
- Physical description adjectives must agree with the person you're describing in gender and number
- Use "soy" for permanent characteristics like height and "tengo" for features like hair and eyes
- The verb tener changes depending on who you're talking about (tengo, tienes, tiene, etc.)
- You can combine multiple descriptions in one sentence to give detailed information
- Practice the agreement patterns regularly - they're essential for accurate Spanish communication