Language/Catalan/Grammar/Adjectives
Hi Catalan learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn about adjectives in Catalan. Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns or pronouns. They tell us about the size, shape, color, age, nationality, and many other characteristics of the noun or pronoun.
Take a moment to explore these relevant pages as you conclude this lesson: How to say "there is" in Catalan, Indefinite Articles in Catalan, Personal Pronouns & Basic Sentence Structure.
Types of Adjectives[edit | edit source]
Catalan adjectives have different types:
- Qualifying adjectives: They describe or qualify characteristics of nouns. For example: "The big dog".
- Demonstrative adjectives: They indicate which noun is being referred to. For example: "This chair".
- Possessive adjectives: They show ownership or possession of the noun. For example: "My phone".
- Interrogative adjectives: They are used to ask questions about the noun. For example: "Which book do you recommend?".
Let's take a closer look at each of these types of adjectives.
Qualifying Adjectives[edit | edit source]
Qualifying adjectives in Catalan usually follow the noun they modify. The adjective has to agree in gender and number with the noun. If the noun is masculine, the adjective has to be in masculine form, and if the noun is feminine, the adjective has to be in feminine form. If the noun is singular, the adjective also has to be in singular form, and if the noun is plural, the adjective has to be in plural form.
Examples:
| Catalan | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| gos gran | /ˈɡɔs ɡɾan/ | big dog |
| llibre interessant | /ˈʎibɾə inteɾəˈsant/ | interesting book |
| casa blava | /ˈkazə ˈblavə/ | blue house |
| jardins bonics | /ʒəɾˈðins ˈβɔniks/ | pretty gardens |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: Hola! Què fas? (Hi! What are you doing?)
- Person 2: Estic llegint un llibre interessant. (I'm reading an interesting book.)
- Person 1: Quin llibre és? (Which book is it?)
- Person 2: És "El jardí secret". (It's "The secret garden".)
Demonstrative Adjectives[edit | edit source]
Demonstrative adjectives in Catalan indicate which noun is being referred to. They have to agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. They come before the noun they modify.
Examples:
| Catalan | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| aquest cotxe | /əˈkɛst ˈkɔtʃə/ | this car |
| aquella casa | /əˈkɛʎə ˈkazə/ | that house |
| aquests llibres | /əˈkɛsts ˈʎibɾəs/ | these books |
| aquelles plantes | /əˈkɛʎəs ˈplantəs/ | those plants |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: Què penses d'aquesta camisa? (What do you think about this shirt?)
- Person 2: M'agrada aquesta camisa, però prefereixo aquest pantaló. (I like this shirt, but I prefer these pants.)
- Person 1: I quina talla portes? (And what size do you wear?)
- Person 2: Porto la talla mitjana. (I wear medium size.)
Possessive Adjectives[edit | edit source]
Possessive adjectives in Catalan are used to show ownership or possession of the noun. They have to agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.
Examples:
| Catalan | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| el meu gat | /əl ˈmew ɡat/ | my cat |
| la teva taula | /la ˈtɛvə taˈulə/ | your table |
| la seva casa | /la ˈsɛvə ˈkazə/ | his/her/their house |
| els nostres amics | /əls ˈnɔstɾəs aˈmiɡs/ | our friends |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: Tens un gos? (Do you have a dog?)
- Person 2: Sí, tinc un gos petit. I tu, tens algun animal? (Yes, I have a small dog. And you, do you have any pet?)
- Person 1: Jo tinc un gat i una lloro. (I have a cat and a parrot.)
Interrogative Adjectives[edit | edit source]
Interrogative adjectives in Catalan are used to ask questions about the noun. They come before the noun they modify.
Examples:
| Catalan | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| quin cotxe? | /ˈkin ˈkɔtʃə/ | which car? |
| quina casa? | /ˈkina ˈkazə/ | which house? |
| quants llibres? | kwan(t)s ˈʎibɾəs | how many books? |
| quines plantes? | ˈkinəs ˈplantəs | which plants? |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: T'agrada la música clàssica? (Do you like classical music?)
- Person 2: Depèn de qui la toqui. I tu, quina música t'agrada? (It depends on who plays it. And you, what kind of music do you like?)
- Person 1: A mi m'agrada el jazz i el blues. (I like jazz and blues.)
Comparative and Superlative Adjectives[edit | edit source]
Catalan adjectives can also be used in their comparative and superlative forms to compare and describe the degree of a noun.
To form the comparative, you usually add "més" (more) before the adjective. To form the superlative, you usually add "el/la/els/les més" (the most) before the adjective.
Examples:
| Catalan | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| més gran | /mɛs ɡɾan/ | bigger/more important |
| el més alt | /əl mɛs alt/ | the tallest/most important |
Dialogue:
- Person 1: Qui és el teu jugador de futbol preferit? (Who is your favorite soccer player?)
- Person 2: A mi m'agrada el Messi. És més bo que el Cristiano Ronaldo, crec jo. (I like Messi. He is better than Cristiano Ronaldo, I think.)
- Person 1: Sí, el Messi és el més bo de tots. (Yes, Messi is the best of all.)
Conclusion[edit | edit source]
Adjectives are important in Catalan, as they allow us to provide more information and description about a noun or pronoun. Remember to use the correct form of the adjective, depending on the gender, number, and type of the noun or pronoun being described.
To improve your Catalan Grammar, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
Impressive work on finishing this lesson! Explore these additional pages to enhance your understanding: Ordinal Numbers in Catalan, Introduction to adjectives and adverbs in Catalan Grammar, Accusative Case in Catalan & How to say "there is" in Catalan.
Videos[edit | edit source]
Learn Catalan: masculine and feminine adjectives (introduction ...[edit | edit source]
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- How to say "there is" in Catalan
- Accusative Case in Catalan
- Nouns
- Questions
- Dative Case in Catalan
- Negation
- How to use "can" in Catalan
- How to use the Modal Verb Must in Catalan
- Cardinal Numbers in Catalan
- Indefinite Articles in Catalan