Describing People (Leaving Cert Spanish): Revision Notes
Describing people
Learning to describe physical appearance and personality is essential for everyday conversations in Spanish. This topic covers the key vocabulary and grammar structures you need to talk about what people look like and what they're like as individuals.
Mastering descriptions in Spanish requires understanding three key elements: vocabulary for physical features, personality traits, and the correct grammar structures to connect them meaningfully. This combination will help you express yourself naturally in social situations.
Physical descriptions
When describing someone's physical appearance, you'll primarily use the verb tener (to have) combined with specific vocabulary for body parts and features.
Key vocabulary for physical appearance
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| alto/a | tall |
| bajo/a | short |
| delgado/a | slim |
| gordo/a | fat |
| guapo/a | good-looking |
| feo/a | ugly |
| fuerte | strong |
Notice that these adjectives follow the typical Spanish pattern of changing endings based on gender. The adjective agreement rules will be crucial when using these terms in sentences.
Hair and eye colours
Hair (el pelo):
- rubio - blonde
- rojo - red
- marrón - brown
- castaño - chestnut brown
- negro - black
- gris - grey
Hair styles:
- largo - long
- corto - short
- liso - straight
- rizado - curly
- ondulado - wavy
Eyes (los ojos):
- azules - blue
- verdes - green
- grises - grey
- marrones - brown
- avellanos - hazel
Remember that eye colours are always plural in Spanish because ojos is plural. You say "tengo los ojos azules" (I have blue eyes), never "tengo el ojo azul."
Additional features
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| llevar gafas | to wear glasses |
| llevar barba | to have a beard |
| llevar bigote | to have a moustache |
| teñirse el pelo | to dye one's hair |
Personality and character descriptions
To describe someone's personality, you'll use the verbs ser and estar with personality adjectives. Understanding when to use each verb is fundamental for accurate Spanish communication.
Essential personality vocabulary
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| aburrido/a | boring |
| activo/a | active |
| agradable | pleasant |
| alegre | cheerful |
| animado/a | lively |
| divertido/a | fun, enjoyable |
| feliz | happy |
| listo/a | clever |
| negativo/a | negative |
| nervioso/a | nervous |
| optimista | optimistic |
| positivo/a | positive |
| responsable | responsible |
| simpático/a | nice, friendly |
| trabajador/a | hard-working |
| tranquilo/a | calm |
| triste | sad |
| serio/a | serious |
| tímido/a | shy |
| perezoso/a | lazy |
| organizado/a | organised |
| desorganizado/a | disorganised |
| antipático/a | mean |
| estricto/a | strict |
| creativo/a | creative |
| estudioso/a | studious |
| paciente | patient |
| inteligente | intelligent |
| deportista | sporty |
Many personality adjectives like optimista, paciente, and inteligente don't change form between masculine and feminine. These are particularly useful as they simplify agreement rules!
Key grammar points
The verb tener (to have)
This irregular verb is crucial for describing physical features:
| Pronoun | Tener | English |
|---|---|---|
| yo | tengo | I have |
| tú | tienes | you have |
| él/ella | tiene | he/she has |
| nosotros/as | tenemos | we have |
| vosotros/as | tenéis | you (plural) have |
| ellos/ellas | tienen | they have |
Tener is an irregular verb, so memorise these conjugations thoroughly. The pattern doesn't follow regular -er verb rules, particularly in the "yo" form (tengo, not "teno").
Ser vs estar (to be)
Understanding the difference between these verbs is absolutely critical for accurate Spanish descriptions.
Ser is used for permanent characteristics and inherent qualities:
- Physical appearance that doesn't change
- Personality traits
- Nationality, profession
Estar is used for temporary states and conditions:
- Current mood or feelings
- Temporary physical states
- Location
| Pronoun | Ser | Estar | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| yo | soy | estoy | I am |
| tú | eres | estás | you are |
| él/ella | es | está | he/she is |
| nosotros/as | somos | estamos | we are |
| vosotros/as | sois | estáis | you (plural) are |
| ellos/ellas | son | están | they are |
Understanding Ser vs Estar in Context:
- María es inteligente (María is intelligent - permanent trait)
- María está nerviosa (María is nervous - temporary state)
- Juan es alto (Juan is tall - permanent characteristic)
- Juan está enfermo (Juan is ill - temporary condition)
Notice how the choice of verb changes the meaning completely!
Adjective agreement
Spanish adjectives must agree with the noun they describe in both gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural). There are four main patterns:
Group 1: Adjectives ending in -o
- Masculine singular: alto
- Feminine singular: alta
- Masculine plural: altos
- Feminine plural: altas
Group 2: Adjectives ending in -e
- Same for both genders: inteligente
- Plural adds -s: inteligentes
Group 3: Adjectives ending in consonants
- Usually same for both genders: trabajador/trabajadora
- Plural adds -es: trabajadores/trabajadoras
Group 4: Adjectives ending in -a
- Same for both genders: deportista
- Plural adds -s: deportistas
Adjective agreement errors are among the most common mistakes Spanish learners make. Always check that your adjectives match the gender and number of the noun they're describing before speaking or writing.
Useful expressions and idioms
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| En mi opinión... | In my opinion... |
| Normalmente... | Normally... |
| Mis amigos dicen que soy... | My friends say that I am... |
These connecting phrases will make your Spanish sound more natural and fluent in conversations and writing.
Model sentences
Here are examples showing how to use this vocabulary and grammar:
Practical Application Examples:
- Tengo el pelo largo y castaño. - I have long, chestnut hair.
- Mi hermana es alta y delgada. - My sister is tall and slim.
- Él lleva gafas y tiene los ojos verdes. - He wears glasses and has green eyes.
- Soy una persona alegre y trabajadora. - I am a cheerful and hard-working person.
- Estoy nervioso porque tengo un examen. - I am nervous because I have an exam.
- Mi madre tiene los ojos marrones pero mi padre tiene los ojos azules. - My mother has brown eyes but my father has blue eyes.
- En mi opinión, soy una persona activa con una actitud positiva. - In my opinion, I am an active person with a positive attitude.
Grammar note: Notice how adjectives agree with the nouns they describe, and how we use different verbs (tener//ser//estar) depending on what we're describing.
Sample writing piece
Prompt: Describe yourself physically and your personality
Mi descripción personal
Me llamo Ana y tengo dieciséis años. Físicamente, soy bastante alta y delgada. Tengo el pelo largo, liso y rubio, y mis ojos son azules como el mar. Normalmente llevo gafas porque soy un poco miope. Mi estilo es casual pero elegante.
En cuanto a mi personalidad, soy una persona muy alegre y optimista. Mis amigos dicen que soy divertida y responsable al mismo tiempo. Me considero trabajadora y organizada, especialmente con mis estudios. Sin embargo, a veces estoy un poco nerviosa cuando tengo exámenes importantes. También soy bastante tímida con personas nuevas, pero cuando conozco bien a alguien, soy muy simpática y habladora.
En mi tiempo libre, me gusta leer y hacer deporte porque soy una persona bastante activa. Por último, creo que soy una persona positiva que siempre intenta ayudar a los demás.
English translation:
My name is Ana and I'm sixteen years old. Physically, I'm quite tall and slim. I have long, straight, blonde hair, and my eyes are blue like the sea. I normally wear glasses because I'm a bit short-sighted. My style is casual but elegant.
Regarding my personality, I'm a very cheerful and optimistic person. My friends say I'm fun and responsible at the same time. I consider myself hard-working and organised, especially with my studies. However, sometimes I'm a bit nervous when I have important exams. I'm also quite shy with new people, but when I know someone well, I'm very friendly and talkative.
In my free time, I like reading and doing sport because I'm quite an active person. Finally, I think I'm a positive person who always tries to help others.
Analysis note: The highlighted phrases show varied sentence structures, connectors (en cuanto a, sin embargo, por último), and a mix of ser/estar usage.
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
- Use tener + noun for physical features (tengo el pelo rizado)
- Use ser for permanent characteristics (es inteligente)
- Use estar for temporary states (está nervioso)
- Adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe
- Learn the four main adjective agreement patterns to avoid mistakes
- Practice using connecting phrases like "en mi opinión" and "normalmente" to make your Spanish sound more natural