Adjectives & Agreement
Adjectives & Agreement 🇵🇹
Portuguese adjectives must agree in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) with the noun they describe.
Regular Patterns
| Ending Type | Masc. Sing. | Fem. Sing. | Masc. Pl. | Fem. Pl. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -o / -a | alto | alta | altos | altas |
| -e (invariable gender) | inteligente | inteligente | inteligentes | inteligentes |
| consonant | fácil | fácil | fáceis | fáceis |
Examples
- o carro vermelho – the red car (masculine)
- a casa vermelha – the red house (feminine)
- as carros vermelhos – the red cars (masculine plural)
- as casas vermelhas – the red houses (feminine plural)
Position
Most descriptive adjectives follow the noun (carro vermelho). A few common adjectives — like bom (good), mau (bad), grande (big), and pequeno (small) — can go before the noun, sometimes with a subtle shift in meaning or emphasis.
Tip: When in doubt, put the adjective after the noun — it's the safest, most common position for beginners.