Use of Adjectives as Nouns
Spanish: AQA A Level, topic 11.3.6
Los adjetivos como sustantivos - Adjectives as nouns
El artículo + adjetivo
- A definite article (el, la, los, las) can turn an adjective into a noun.
- Spanish drops the noun once it has already been named.
- Tengo dos coches, un coche rojo y un coche azul. Prefiero el rojo.
- I have two cars, a red car and a blue car. I prefer the red one.
- The adjective matches the gender and number of the noun it replaces.
- Compré dos camisas y elegí la pequeña.
- I bought two shirts and chose the small one.
La concordancia en plural
- The article and adjective change to agree with a plural noun.
- Los libros son interesantes, pero los antiguos son mejores.
- The books are interesting, but the old ones are better.
- The feminine plural follows the same pattern with las.
- Las flores son bonitas, sobre todo las amarillas.
- The flowers are pretty, especially the yellow ones.
Lo + adjetivo neutro
- Spanish uses lo plus the masculine singular form of an adjective to talk about a general idea or quality, not one specific person or thing.
- Lo importante es estudiar cada día.
- The important thing is to study every day.
- The neuter form lo never changes, even with a feminine or plural subject.
- Lo bueno de esta ciudad es la gente.
- The good thing about this city is the people.
Lo + adjetivo + que
- Spanish uses lo plus an adjective plus que to say how much of a quality there is, like 'how' in English.
- No sabes lo cansado que estoy.
- You do not know how tired I am.
- The adjective in this structure agrees with the person being described.
- No sabes lo cansada que está Ana.
- You do not know how tired Ana is.
Test yourself on Use of Adjectives as Nouns
Decide which statement about adjectives used as nouns is correct.
Which phrase means 'the good thing' about a situation in general, rather than one specific good person?