Physical descriptions with Ser (To be) and Tener (To have)
In this topic we will look at describing physical appearance with Ser, Tener and lots of useful Spanish adjectives.
We have already learned that Ser (To be) is a fundamental Spanish verb (action/doing word) that is generally used for describing permanent things such as name and nationality. We know that there are two Spanish verbs To Be Ser and Estar, and that Estar is generally used for describing non-permanent things such as location and feelings. In this topic we will practice making describing things with Ser that are considered permanent.
Describing physicality with Ser
We use El verbo Ser when we want to describe physical appearance because physicality is generally non-changing.
Useful adjectives:
Alto/a: Tall
Bajo/a: Short
Gordo/a: Fat
Delgado/a: Slim
Flaco/a: Thin
Fuerte: Strong
Débil: Weak
Pequeño/a: Small
Grande: Big
Remember, adjectives are words which describe nouns (e.g. size, shape, age, color, origin, material). In English, adjectives typically come before the nouns they describe whereas in Spanish adjectives come after the noun (e.g. short hair: pelo corto/hair short).
In Spanish, some adjectives change, depending upon whether the word they describe is masculine or feminine and all change depending upon whether the word they describe is singular or plural.
With adjectives that end in –O you change their ending to –A if you are describing a female thing. When describing singular things with adjectives that don’t finish in –O you don’t change the ending of the adjective.
You add –OS if you are describing more than one masculine thing and –AS if you are describing more than one female thing. When describing more than one thing you add –ES to the adjective if it ends in a consonant and –S if it ends in a vowel.
Let’s practice now with some example sentences:
Soy alto: I am tall
No, eres bajo: No, you are short
¿Cómo es Antonio?: How is Antonio?
Él es alto y delgado: He is tall and slim
Tu madre es gorda: Your mother is fat
No, ella no es gorda. Es fuerte: No, she is not fat. She is strong
Vosotros sois fuertes: You are strong
Gracias. Sí, somos muy fuertes: Thanks. Yes, we are very strong
Los noruegos son altos: Norwegians are tall
Los peruanos son bajos: Peruvians are short
Antonio y yo somos bajos: Antonio and I are short
María y Nuria son bajas: María and Nuria are short
You can see that these are all descriptions with Ser. (soy, eres, es, somos, sois, son). It should be pointed out that it is also possible to make similar descriptions with Estar if you specifically wish to make the point that your description is temporary.
For example:
Hola hijo. Estás muy alto: Hi son. You are very tall (Estás rather than Es could be used here to emphasise that the child is growing. Once someone has stopped growing the description would have to be with Es)
Roberto está gordo: Roberto is fat (Está rather than Es could be used here to emphasise that Roberto is currently fat but isn’t usually)
Some more practice sentences, this time with Tener:
Tengo los ojos marrones: I have brown eyes
¿Tienes el pelo rubio?: Have you got blonde hair?
Tiene las orejas grandes: He/She has big ears
Tenemos el pelo corto: We have short hair
¿Tenéis los ojos verdes?: Have you got green eyes?
Tienen la nariz pequeña: They have a small nose
Pronunciation
Play the audio below and practice your pronunciation by repeating with Laura.
Transcript
Tengo los ojos marrones: I have brown eyes
¿Tienes el pelo rubio?: Have you got blonde hair? (friendly)
¿Tiene el pelo rubio?: Have you got blonde hair? (formal)
Tiene las orejas grandes: He/She has big ears
Tenemos el pelo corto: We have short hair
¿Tenéis los ojos verdes?: Have you got green eyes? (group/friendly)
¿Tienen los ojos verdes?: Have you got green eyes? (group/formal)
Tienen la nariz pequeña: They have a small nose
Soy alto/alta: I am tall
¿Eres bajo/baja?: Are you short? (friendly)
¿Es bajo/baja?: Are you short? (formal)
Antonio es gordo: Antonio is fat
María es delgada: María is slim
Antonio y yo somos bajos: Antonio and I are short
¿Sois altos?: Are you tall? (group/friendly)
¿Son altos?: Are you tall? (group/formal)
María y Nuria son bajas: María and Nuria are short
No soy alta: I am not tall
Listening
Play the audio below and try to follow the conversation. Please listen at least twice before checking the transcript.
Transcript
Pilar: Andrew ¿Cómo es tu hijo?
Andrew: Mi hijo tiene el pelo moreno y los ojos marrones, como yo. ¿Tú tienes hijos?
Pilar: Sí, tengo dos.
Andrew: ¿Y cómo son?
Pilar: Mi hijo Miguel es castaño con ojos verdes y mi hija Ana es como yo, morena con ojos marrones.
Andrew: Ah sí. Miguel es como tu hermano Juan, castaño con ojos verdes.
Pilar: Sí y es muy alto también, como Juan.
Andrew: Ah sí. Mi hijo Lucas no es muy alto. Pero yo y mi mujer no somos altos tampoco.
Pilar: Sí, es verdad. Yo y mi marido tampoco somos altos, pero mi padre es muy alto.
Andrew: ¿Sí? Mi padre es bajo, como yo.
Pilar: ¿Y tu madre?
Andrew: Mi madre también es baja
Reading
Open the text below and try to follow what is written. Please read at least twice before checking the translation.
Text
Daniel: Hola Carmen, ¿cómo estás?
Carmen: Muy bien, ¿y tú?
Daniel: Muy contento. Tengo una novia nueva.
Carmen: ¿Y Lucía?
Daniel: No es mi novia ahora. No quiero hablar mucho de Lucía. Tiene un novio nuevo.
Carmen: ¡Qué dices! ¿Quién?
Daniel: Roberto.
Carmen: ¿Yo conozco a Roberto?
Daniel: Si, Roberto García. Tiene el pelo muy largo y le gusta el heavy metal.
Carmen: ¿Es bastante alto? ¿Con ojos azules?
Daniel: Sí eso es. No habla mucho. Está gordo.
Carmen: Bueno. Y tu nueva novia, ¿quién es?
Daniel: Se llama Patricia López. Vive cerca de aquí. Trabaja como enfermera en el hospital del pueblo.
Carmen: No sé si conozco a Patricia.
Daniel: Es muy guapa. Tiene los ojos marrones. El pelo largo y castaño. No es alta pero tampoco es baja. Es delgada porque hace mucho deporte. Le gusta nadar y correr.
Carmen: Creo que no conozco a esa Patricia. Pero estás contento, ¿no?
Daniel: Sí, estoy muy contento.
Carmen: ¿Hablas con Lucía?
Daniel: No quiero hablar con ella y no me importa si está contenta con ese hippy raro.
Translation
Daniel: Hello Carmen, how are you?
Carmen: Very well, and you?
Daniel: Very happy. I have a new girlfriend.
Carmen: And Lucia?
Daniel: She’s not my girlfriend now. I don’t want to talk much about Lucia. She has a new boyfriend.
Carmen: No way! Who?
Daniel: Roberto.
Carmen: Do I know Roberto?
Daniel: Yes, Roberto García. He has very long hair and likes heavy metal.
Carmen: Is he quite tall? With blue eyes?
Daniel: Yes that’s right. He doesn’t talk much. Fat.
Carmen: Okay. And your new girlfriend, who is she?
Daniel: Her name is Patricia López. She lives near here. She works as a nurse in the town hospital.
Carmen: I don’t know if I know Patricia.
Daniel: She’s very pretty. She has brown eyes. Long brown hair. She is not tall but not short either. She is slim because she does a lot of sport. She likes to swim and run.
Carmen: I don’t think I know this Patricia. But you’re happy, aren’t you?
Daniel: Yes, I’m very happy.
Carmen: Do you talk to Lucia?
Daniel: I don’t want to talk to her and I am not interested if she’s happy with that weird hippy.
Writing
Open the questions below and answer them in writing using the box provided. Check the answers afterwards to see how you got on.
Questions
Please describe the physical appearance of some of your friends.
Answers
Possible answers:
Sara es una chica con el pelo moreno y largo. Ella es delgada y alta y tiene los ojos marrones
Review
Play the audio below and respond to the questions Laura asks you. Check the answers afterwards to see how you got on.
Answers
1. Sofía tiene el pelo moreno
2. Alberto tiene veintitrés años
3. Sofía es secretaria
4. Sí, Alberto y Sofía tienen las orejas pequeñas
5. Sofía es alta
6. Sofía tiene treinta y cinco años
7. Alberto es estudiante