Ready to describe the world in Spanish? Today you’ll learn four super-useful adjectives: “big,” “small,” “good,” and “bad.” We’ll keep it simple, show you real phrases, and practice right away so you can use them in everyday situations.

What you’ll learn

• Meanings and pronunciation basics for: grande, pequeño, bueno, malo
• Where adjectives go in a sentence (word order)
• Gender and number agreement (matching masculine/feminine, singular/plural)
• Special short forms: buen and mal
• Quick cultural notes so you sound natural

Meet four super-useful adjectives

Here are the core meanings and simple examples. Read the Spanish, then the English translation.

Extra examples you’ll use today

Where do adjectives go?

In Spanish, most descriptive adjectives come after the noun: “house big” literally, but we say “la casa grande.” This is the default pattern you should use as a beginner.

Mi casa es (My house is big).

Tenemos una cocina (We have a small kitchen).

Gender and number: make adjectives match

• Masculine nouns use masculine forms: pequeño, bueno, malo
• Feminine nouns use feminine forms: pequeña, buena, mala
• Plural nouns add -s or -es: grandes, pequeños/pequeñas, buenos/buenas, malos/malas
• "grande" does not change for masculine vs. feminine, but does change for plural: grande → grandes

La comida es (The food is bad).

Los coches son (The cars are small).

Special short forms: buen and mal

Two common adjectives have special short forms before masculine singular nouns:

• bueno → buen before a masculine singular noun: "un buen amigo" (a good friend)
• malo → mal before a masculine singular noun: "un mal día" (a bad day) You can still use the full forms after the verb: "El amigo es bueno"; "El día es malo."

Tengo un amigo (I have a good friend).

Es una noticia (It’s bad news).

un bueno amigo → un buen amigo Use the short form "buen" before a masculine singular noun. un malo día → un mal día Use "mal" before a masculine singular noun. la grande casa → la casa grande Adjective usually comes after the noun. Ella es pequeño. → Ella es pequeña. Match gender: she → pequeña.

Word order practice

Below, reorder the Spanish words to make a correct sentence. Use the hint to check your meaning.

Mini conversation (simple and useful)

Put the conversation in the right order. Read the Spanish and the English in parentheses.

Cultural note: gran vs. grande (optional for A1)

You might hear “gran” before a singular noun: “un gran amigo.” This often means “great,” not only “big.” Save this nuance for later, but recognize it in context. For size, stick with "grande" after the noun: "una casa grande."

Quick Quiz: Check your understanding

Wrap-up and mini practice

You now know how to say big (grande), small (pequeño/pequeña), good (bueno/buena, buen), and bad (malo/mala, mal). Keep these patterns in mind:

• Noun + adjective: "un coche pequeño", "la casa grande"
• Gender and number agreement: "una idea buena", "los días malos"
• Short forms before masculine singular nouns: "un buen café", "un mal día"

Try speaking:

• Describe two places you know: "Mi escuela es grande" / "Mi habitación es pequeña." (My school is big / My room is small.)
• Give an opinion: "Este café es bueno" / "Ese servicio es malo." (This coffee is good / That service is bad.)

Keep it simple, repeat often, and listen for these adjectives in real conversations. You’ve got this—¡vamos! (Let’s go!)