Demonstrative Adjectives

These determiners "specify" the noun by "pointing" to ("demonstrating") the noun in terms of distance (physical or psychological) from the speaker. English makes a two way distinction: 'this/these' (near speaker), 'that/those' (apart from speaker).

Spanish makes a three-way distinction:

este / esta / estos / estas = 'this/these' (near speaker)
ese / esa / esos / esas = 'that/those' (near listener)
aquel / aquella / aquellos / aquellas = 'that/those' (apart from both speaker and listener)

The demonstrative adjective generally precedes the noun, but may follow to communicate an especially negative attitude on the part of the speaker:

No me gusta ese tipo. / No me gusta el tipo ese. = 'I don't like that guy.'

*Note the masculine plural forms are: este  estos, ese  esos (not estes / eses).

Possessive Adjectives

Possessive adjectives "specify" the noun in terms of the possessor: mi(s)/mío(s) = 'my', tu(s)/tuyo(s) = 'your' [de tí], su(s)/suyo(s) = 'its/his/her/your [de Ud.]], nuestro(s) = 'our', vuestro(s) = 'your' [de vosotros], su(s) = 'their/your [de Uds.].

The Spanish possive adjective "agrees' in number with the "thing possessed", not with the "possessor". Compare these sentences:

Su casa es roja. = 'His/Her/Their/Your (singular)/Your (plural) house is red.'
Sus casas son rojas. = 'His/Her/Their/Your (singular)/Your (plural) houses are red.'.

The Spanish possessive has both a short and long form. The short form precedes the noun and expresses possession "casually". The long form always follows the noun (or ser) and "emphasizes" possession. Compare these sentences:

Neutral Emphatic/Contrastive Emphatic/Contrastive

Mi/Tu casa está cerca. La casa mía/tuya es verde. Esta casa es mía/tuya.
'My/Your house is nearby.' 'MY/YOUR house is green. 'This house is MINE/YOURS.

Limiting Adjectives

Limiting adjectives answer the implicit questions "Which one?" or "How much/many.

A. Counters simply count the noun.

1. Cardinal Nnumbers. The following examples make a number of points. Study them closely:

un(a) (stressed) = 'one', quince = 'fifteen', diez y seis/dieciséis = 'sixteen', veinte y un días / veintiún días = 'twenty-one days'' / veintiuna casas, treinta y una casas, cien = 'a hundred', ciento dos = 'a/one hundred (and) two', trescientas vacas, quinientos = 'five hundred', mil dólares = 'a thousand dollars', un millón de dólares = 'a million dollars', mil millones de personas = 'a billon people' (U.S.), un billón de personas = 'a trillon people' (U.S.).

2. Ordinal numbers count items in terms of their order in a set:

primer(a) = 'first', segundo/a = 'second', tercer(a) = 'third', cuarto = 'fourth', quinto = 'fifth', sexto = 'sixth', séptimo = 'seventh', octavo = 'eighth', noveno = 'ninth, décimo = 'tenth'

3. Fractions quantify the noun in units less than one. Key examples are:

la mitad de = 'one-half of', la tercera parte de / un tercio de = 'one-third of', la cuarta parte de / un cuarto de = 'one forth/quarter of' , la quinta parte de / un quinto de = 'one-fifth of'', etc. Note the optional forms using ordinal numbers.

B. Estimators (my word) quantify in less precise terms. It is important to know these:

demasiado(s) = 'toomuch/many', tanto(s) = 'so much/many', mucho(s) = 'much/many/a lot of', varios = 'several', bastante(s) = 'enough/plenty of/quite a bit of/quite a few, un poco de = 'a little bit of/some', unos cuantos '= 'a few', poco(s) = 'little/few', muy poco(s) = 'very little/few', demasiado poco(s) = 'too little/few'. You do not say muy mucho = 'very much/many' or demasiado mucho = 'too much/many'. Note the difference between poco dinero = 'little money' and un poco de dinero = 'a little money'.

C. Set Adjectives (my word) refer to a noun as a member of a set (unique or many). They frequently express the "totality" (meaning "all"/"none") of the set. Some important ones are:

el único problema = 'the only problem', el mismo día = 'the same/very day', el otro carro = 'the other car', Tengo otro problema. = 'I have another problem', cada página = 'each/every page', ambos estudiantes = 'both (of the) students', cualquiera de los dos libros = 'either (one) of the books', cualquier estudiante = 'ANY student', todo estudiante = 'any STUDENT', todos los profesores = 'all (of the) professors', ningún examen = 'no test', ninguno de los dos libros = 'neither (one) of the (two) books'. A couple of notes: 1) the Spanish word for no + noun = ningún/ninguna,which are not generally used in the plural ['no books' = ningún libro, not usually ningunos libros], 2) that Spanish does not have simple forms = 'either/neither'.

Descriptive Adjectives

Descriptive adjectives modify nouns by adding information about the "state/condition" of the noun, or about its "qualities".

Descriptive adjectives describing states [limpio = 'clean', roto = 'broken', lleno/vacío = 'full/empty', aburrido/interesado = 'bored / interested', enfermo/sano = 'sick/healthy', borracho = 'drunk', cansado = 'tired', casado = 'married', muerto = 'dead' generally follow the noun and are used with the verb estar.

Adjectives describing "qualities" [rojo = 'red', grande = 'big', gordo/flaco = 'fat/skinny', pobre/rico = 'poor/rich', joven/viejo = 'young/old', inteligente/estúpido = 'intelligent / stupid', aburrido/interesante = 'boring/interesting'. They generally follow the noun, but may precede it if they are used very "subjectively" and/or the noun has other modifying phrases that follow it: Es un libro muy interesante = 'It is a very interesting book', Es un interesante libro de historia = 'It is an interesting book about history'.