Using Adjectives as Nouns in Spanish: 4 Tips to Help You Boost Your Spanish Vocabulary

Do you know what is the most amazing thing about learning Spanish?

The possibility to transform words from one part of the speech to the other, particularly adjectives to turn to become nouns.

You haven’t thought about that, have you?

Well, this is one of the great things that can help you learn the language more efficiently and save your time. You won’t have to memorize all the words. When you understand how to use adjectives as nouns in Spanish, you can show how learning in a foreign language can be achieved without feeling boring.

So, in this post, we will show you some tips and tricks on how to use adjectives as nouns in Spanish. It won’t be that hard plus it will be pretty exciting, especially if you practice it with your Spanish tutors.

And now, let’s dive in.

What Are Nouns And Adjectives?

Before we continue on details on how to use adjectives as nouns, let’s explain what are nouns and adjectives, what is their role in the sentence, and the difference between these two.

Nouns are words that are used to identify things, places, people as well as to name particularly some of them. Nouns, simply, are everything you see: your computer, the glass of water, the love, and so on.

Here are some examples of nouns:

• El ordenador (computer)

• El amor (love)

• Vestido (dress)

Adjectives are words that tell us something more about the noun they describe. 

Every noun that exists can be described or modified by an adjective.

• El aire fresco (fresh air)

• El amor verdadero (true love)

• Bonito vestido (nice dress)

As you can see from the definitions, even though they have somehow different functions, nouns and adjectives have genders and numbers in common. Both of them have to agree on gender and number so that they can function in a phrase or a sentence.

Why Gender And Number are Important in Spanish Nouns And Adjectives?

Spanish has two genders, masculine and feminine, and two numbers, singular, and plural.

All the words that belong to the noun group, such as nouns and adjectives, have gender and numbers.

Here are some examples:

• Bonito vestido (nice dress)

Gender: masculine, number: singular

• La mesa grande (big table)

Gender: feminine, number: singular

• Bonitos vestidos ( nice dresses)

Gender: masculine, number: plural

• Las mesas grandes (big tables)

Gender: feminine, number: plural

As you can see from the examples, unlike in English, nouns, and adjectives in Spanish must agree in gender and number.

So, if you want to use them properly, you have to pay attention to this rule.

4 Tips And Tricks on How to Use Adjectives As Nouns In Spanish

In Spanish, there are 4 different tricks on how adjectives can be used as nouns.

Adjectives As Nouns By Using Articles

This is one of the easiest ways to make adjectives become nouns.

Every adjective can transform into a noun this way.

Here, by articles, we mean both definite and indefinite articles.

To use an adjective as a noun, add it to the article, definite or indefinite one, and you will get a noun. Don’t forget to pay attention to the article and adjectives that agree on gender and number.

If you don’t quite get this, take a glance at the following examples:

• Uno rojo ( a red one)

Gender: masculine, number: singular

• Una roja ( a red one)

Gender: feminine, number: singular

• Unos rojos ( some red ones)

Gender: masculine, number: plural

• Unas rojas (some red ones)

Gender: feminine, number: plural

• La roja (the red one)

Gender: feminine, number: singular

• Los rojos (the red ones)

Gender: masculine, number: plural

Neutral Article ‘Lo’

Besides well-known definite and indefinite articles, Spanish is a proud owner of a neutral article called ‘lo.’ In English, it can be translated as ‘what.’

When followed by the adjective, it can be translated as ‘what is+adjective.’

Like with others, here, too, we have to pay attention for the gender and number to agree.

Since the article is neutral, it can be used only with the masculine singular adjectives.

And here are some examples:

• Lo bonito (what is nice)

• Lo mejor (what is the best)

• Lo interesante ( what is interesting)

The Articles With The Personal ‘A’

In cases when we want to use adjectives and nouns to refer to the people, we can use the articles that are formed with the personal ‘A.’

Depending on the gender and number, we can form 4 of these articles:

• Al, formed by a+el for the masculine singular;

• A la, formed by a+la for the feminine singular;

• A los, formed by a+los for the masculine plural;

• A las, formed by a+las for the feminine plural.

In sentences, this adjective is the object of the verb, so if we want to use it correctly, we shouldn't forget that personal ‘A’ because the whole ‘adjective as a noun’ thing depends on it.

Here are some examples of how to use this construction:

• El guapo (the handsome one)

• A la blanca ( the white one)

• A los altos (the tall ones)

• A las pequenas (the little ones)

Demonstrative Adjectives

Demonstrative adjectives are words that demonstrate the nouns they describe. 

In English, we have two of them: something that is close, for which we use ‘this’ and ‘these’ and something that is far, for which we use ‘that’ and ‘those.’

In Spanish, we have a little more of them. When we want to express or say something that is close ,we use ‘este,’ ‘esta,’ ‘estos,’ and ‘estas.’ In cases when we want to describe something which is far, we have ‘aquel,’ ‘aquella,’ ‘aquellos,’ and ‘aquellas.’

Even though English and Spanish have many similarities, we’ve come to the point where Spanish and English differ. In Spanish, we have adjectives that can demonstrate something between, which is ‘ese,’ ‘esa,’ ‘esos,’ and ‘esas.’

Now that we’ve learned all demonstrative adjectives, we can use them to transform adjectives into nouns.

It’s easy. We only have to add the adjective to the demonstrative one, making sure that they agree in gender and number, and that’s all.

Let’s take a look at the following examples:

• Aquel guapo ( that handsome over there)

• Esos guapos (these handsome)

• Esa pequena ( the small one)

• Aquellas pequenas (those small ones over there)

Final Thoughts

And now, what do you think?

It isn’t as hard as you thought in the first place.

On the contrary, it’s quite easy.

Thanks to these tips and tricks, you can easily boost your Spanish vocabulary and learn by yourself new Spanish words that will spice up your conversations.

And while we are talking about Spanish, don’t forget to book 1-on-1 lessons with Spanish tutors to reach your proficiency level to fluency.