The Spanish Adjective - Part 3

The adjective grande (great, large) may precede or follow a noun.

If it precedes it may drop the final syllable. When grande (or gran) precedes it generally refers more to quality than to size, but this rule is not strict at all, as much is left to the tone of the voice and also to gesture.

When "Santo" means "holy" it is always written in full.

When "Santo" means "saint" it drops the "to" before the name following.

Santo Tomás (or Tomé), Santo Domingo, and Santo Torribio.

But:La isla de San Tomás (the Island of St. Thomas, West Indies).

Some adjectives alter their meaning according as they precede or follow a noun, as:

• Cierto hombre: A certain man. (Not "un cierto.") Una noticia cierta: A certain (sure) news.
• Un pobre escritor: A poor writer--of little worth. Un escritor pobre: An impecunious writer.
• Un simple favor: A simple favour. Un favor simple: A simple favour.
• Un simple soldado: A simple (plain) soldier. Un hombre simple: A simple man, a simpleton.

"One" and "ones" after an adjective are always left untranslated. "Man" and "woman" in the majority of cases are also omitted, as:

• Tengo algunos buenos: I have some good ones.
• Un francés, una francesa: A Frenchman, a Frenchwoman.

Numeral adjectives used for measurement are translated as follows:

• Una plataforma de 30 pies de largo y seis pies de ancho (also de 30 pies por seis): A platform 30 feet long by six feet wide.
• Este tanque tiene 16 pies de profundidad: This tank is 16 feet deep.

"In" after a superlative relative is rendered by de, as:

• Es el negociante más próspero de la ciudad: He is the most successful merchant in the city.

The proportional adjectives are:

• El doble (the double)
• El triple (3 fold)
• El cuádruplo (4 fold)
• El quíntuple (5 fold)
• El séxtuple (6 fold)
• El décuplo (10 fold)
• El céntuplo (100 fold)
• Siete veces tanto (7 fold)
• Ocho veces tanto (8 fold)

The adjective is used also adverbially, oftener in Spanish than in English, as:

• Hablar claro, alto, bajo, fuerte: To speak clearly, loudly, softly, strongly.
• Comprar caro, barato: To buy dear, cheap.
• Ir derecho: To go straight.
• Tener fuerte: To hold fast.
• Exclamó ufano, cortés, enfadado, bondadoso: He proudly, courteously, angrily, kindly exclaimed.
• Justo ha llegado una carta: A letter has just arrived.

Adjectives have a governing power through a preposition and then the preposition to be used belongs to the "idiom" of the language. Practice will make perfect.

The following are some examples in which the construction differs from the English:

• Afable á, or con, or para con todos: Affable to all.
• Agradecido á los beneficios: Grateful for the favours.
• Agudo de ingenio: Sharp-witted.
• Ajeno de la verdad: Foreign to truth.
• Alegre de cascos: Light-headed.
• Blanco de tez: fair-complexioned.
• Cargado de espaldas: Round-shouldered.
• Codicioso, deseoso de dinero: Greedy, wishing for money.
• Cercano á su fin: Nearing his end.
• ¡Desdichado de mí!: Unhappy me!
• Difícil de comprender: Hard to understand.
• Dotado de buenas partes: Endowed with good parts.
• Duro de cabeza (de mollera), de corazón: Hard-headed, hard-hearted.
• Evidente para todo el mundo: Evident to all.
• Fácil de explicar: Easy to explain.
• Falto de juicio: Lacking in judgment.
• Hermoso de ver: Beautiful to see.
• Lleno de cerveza, de vino: Full of (or with) beer, wine.
• Mayor or Menor de edad: Of age, under age.
• Pequeño de tamano: Small in size.
• Rico de virtudes: Rich in virtues.
• Seco (enjuto) de carnes: Spare in flesh.
• Sorprendido de la noticia: Surprised at the news.
• Tardo á comprender: Slow in understanding.
• Triste de aspecto: Sad in countenance.