Physical Appearance (Leaving Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
Physical appearance
Learning to describe physical appearance is essential for everyday conversations in Spanish. This topic covers the key vocabulary and grammar structures you need to describe yourself and others effectively.
Essential vocabulary for physical descriptions
Understanding how to describe people starts with learning the basic vocabulary for physical features. The most common way to describe appearance in Spanish is using the verb tener (to have) combined with physical characteristics.
Key vocabulary table
| Spanish | English | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| alto/a | tall | bajo/a | short |
| delgado/a | thin/slim | gordo/a | fat |
| fuerte | strong | guapo/a | good-looking |
| feo/a | ugly | joven | young |
| mayor | older | llevar gafas | to wear glasses |
Eye colours (los ojos)
| Spanish | English | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| azules | blue | verdes | green |
| grises | grey | marrones | brown |
| avellanos | hazel | negros | black |
Notice that eye colours in Spanish are always plural because we say "los ojos" (the eyes). This is different from English where we might say "blue eye" in singular form.
Hair colours and styles (el pelo)
| Spanish | English | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| rubio | blonde | rojo | red |
| marrón | brown | castaño | chestnut |
| negro | black | gris | grey |
| largo | long | corto | short |
| liso | straight | rizado | curly |
| ondulado | wavy | - | - |
Example sentences using physical description vocabulary
Here are practical sentences you can use in conversations and exams:
Worked Example: Physical Description Sentences
Spanish sentences:
- Tengo el pelo largo y rubio.
- Mi hermano tiene los ojos azules.
- Ella es alta y delgada.
- Llevo gafas desde pequeña.
English translations:
- I have long, blonde hair.
- My brother has blue eyes.
- She is tall and thin.
- I've worn glasses since I was little.
Grammar note: Notice how adjectives must agree with the noun they describe. Hair colours like rubio change to rubia when describing a female, and eye colours are always plural (ojos azules, not ojo azul).
Using the verb tener (to have)
The verb tener is crucial for describing physical appearance. It's an irregular verb, so you must memorise its forms.
Tener conjugations
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| tengo | I have |
| tienes | you have (informal) |
| tiene | he/she/you have (formal) |
| tenemos | we have |
| tenéis | you have (plural, Spain) |
| tienen | they/you have (plural) |
Usage pattern: Tener + article + noun + adjective
- Tengo el pelo negro (I have black hair)
- Tiene los ojos verdes (He/she has green eyes)
Notice that the article (el or los) is always included when describing body parts with tener.
Adjectival agreement rules
Spanish adjectives must agree with the nouns they describe in both gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural). This is fundamental when describing physical appearance.
Agreement patterns
Adjectives ending in -o:
- Masculine singular: alto
- Feminine singular: alta
- Masculine plural: altos
- Feminine plural: altas
Adjectives ending in -e:
- Same for masculine/feminine: verde
- Plural adds -s: verdes
Adjectives ending in consonants:
- Usually same for masculine/feminine: azul
- Plural adds -es: azules
Phrase bank for exams
These functional phrases will help you in speaking and writing tasks:
Essential Phrases for Physical Descriptions:
- ¿Cómo eres? - What are you like? / How would you describe yourself?
- Soy bastante alto/a - I'm quite tall
- Tengo el pelo... - I have... hair
- Llevo gafas - I wear glasses
- Mi hermano/a tiene... - My brother/sister has...
- Es una persona... - He/she is a... person
Translation practice
Translation Practice Exercise
Spanish to English:
- Mi madre tiene los ojos marrones y el pelo corto.
- Soy bajo y llevo gafas.
English to Spanish: 3. She has long, curly hair. 4. My sister is tall and thin.
Common errors and fixes
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
Error: Tengo ojos azul ❌
Fix: Tengo los ojos azules ✅
Reason: Eyes are plural, so the adjective must be plural too, and you need the article los.
Error: Ella es alto ❌
Fix: Ella es alta ✅
Reason: Ella is feminine, so the adjective must end in -a.
Error: Tengo pelo rubio ❌
Fix: Tengo el pelo rubio ✅
Reason: In Spanish, you need the article el before body parts.
Error: Mi hermana tiene pelo largo y negro ❌
Fix: Mi hermana tiene el pelo largo y negro ✅
Reason: Always include the article when describing body parts with tener.
Answers to translation practice
Translation Practice Answers
- My mother has brown eyes and short hair.
- I'm short and I wear glasses.
- Tiene el pelo largo y rizado.
- Mi hermana es alta y delgada.
Key Points to Remember:
- Use tener + el/los + body part + adjective to describe physical features
- All adjectives must agree with the noun in gender and number
- Eye colours are always plural (los ojos azules)
- Include articles (el, los) when describing body parts
- Practice the irregular verb tener - it's essential for physical descriptions