Lesson 3: Family, Basic Adjectives & Describing People
Learn to talk about your family, describe people using essential adjectives, and express basic likes and dislikes. Build on your greetings and verbs to create meaningful sentences about the people in your life.
Lesson 3: Family, Basic Adjectives & Describing People 👨👩👧👦
Introduction
Welcome to Lesson 3! Now that you can greet people and express basic actions, it's time to talk about the people who matter most: your family. In this lesson, you'll learn how to introduce family members, describe what they're like using essential adjectives, and express simple opinions with me gusta (I like) and no me gusta (I don't like).
By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to:
- 🏠 Name immediate and extended family members
- 🎨 Use 15+ common adjectives to describe people
- 💬 Form simple sentences combining nouns, verbs, and adjectives
- ❤️ Express likes and dislikes about people and things
- 🗣️ Have a basic conversation introducing your family
💡 Pro Tip: Spanish adjectives usually come AFTER the noun (unlike English). You say "casa grande" (house big), not "grande casa." We'll explore this pattern throughout the lesson!
Core Concept 1: La Familia (The Family) 👨👩👧👦
Immediate Family Members
Let's start with the people you'll talk about most often. Notice how Spanish distinguishes between male and female family members:
+------------------+------------------+-------------------------+
| SPANISH | PRONUNCIATION | ENGLISH |
+------------------+------------------+-------------------------+
| la familia | lah fah-MEE-lee-ah| the family |
| el padre | el PAH-dreh | the father |
| la madre | lah MAH-dreh | the mother |
| los padres | lohs PAH-drehs | the parents |
| el hijo | el EE-hoh | the son |
| la hija | lah EE-hah | the daughter |
| los hijos | lohs EE-hohs | the children/sons |
| el hermano | el air-MAH-noh | the brother |
| la hermana | lah air-MAH-nah | the sister |
| los hermanos | lohs air-MAH-nohs| the siblings/brothers |
+------------------+------------------+-------------------------+
🧠 Memory Trick: Notice the pattern? -o endings = masculine, -a endings = feminine. "Hermano" (brother) vs "hermana" (sister). When you add -s, you make it plural!
⚠️ Important: "Los hermanos" can mean "brothers" OR "siblings" (mixed group). Context tells you which!
Extended Family
+------------------+------------------+-------------------------+
| SPANISH | PRONUNCIATION | ENGLISH |
+------------------+------------------+-------------------------+
| el abuelo | el ah-BWEH-loh | the grandfather |
| la abuela | lah ah-BWEH-lah | the grandmother |
| los abuelos | lohs ah-BWEH-lohs| the grandparents |
| el tío | el TEE-oh | the uncle |
| la tía | lah TEE-ah | the aunt |
| el primo | el PREE-moh | the cousin (male) |
| la prima | lah PREE-mah | the cousin (female) |
| el esposo/marido | el es-POH-soh | the husband |
| la esposa/mujer | lah es-POH-sah | the wife |
+------------------+------------------+-------------------------+
🔤 Etymology Connection: "Abuelo" comes from "avus" (Latin for ancestor) + diminutive "elo." It literally means "little ancestor"!
Useful Possessives
To talk about YOUR family, you need these essential possessives:
- mi = my (singular): mi padre, mi hermana
- mis = my (plural): mis padres, mis hermanos
- tu = your (informal, singular): tu madre, tu hijo
- tus = your (informal, plural): tus abuelos, tus primos
💡 Note: Unlike English, Spanish possessives DON'T change for gender, only for singular/plural!
- mi hermano (my brother)
- mi hermana (my sister)
- mis hermanos (my siblings)
Core Concept 2: Adjectives to Describe People 🎨
Physical Descriptions
Here are essential adjectives for describing appearance:
+------------------+------------------+-------------------------+
| MASCULINE | FEMININE | ENGLISH |
+------------------+------------------+-------------------------+
| alto | alta | tall |
| bajo | baja | short (height) |
| grande | grande | big/large |
| pequeño | pequeña | small/little |
| joven | joven | young |
| viejo | vieja | old |
| guapo | guapa | handsome/beautiful |
| feo | fea | ugly |
| fuerte | fuerte | strong |
| delgado | delgada | thin/slim |
| gordo | gorda | fat (use carefully!) |
+------------------+------------------+-------------------------+
⚠️ Gender Agreement: Adjectives MUST match the gender of the noun they describe!
- El hermano alto (the tall brother - masculine)
- La hermana alta (the tall sister - feminine)
🧠 Pattern Recognition: Most adjectives ending in -o change to -a for feminine. Adjectives ending in -e (like grande, joven, fuerte) stay the SAME for both genders!
Personality Descriptions
+------------------+------------------+-------------------------+
| MASCULINE | FEMININE | ENGLISH |
+------------------+------------------+-------------------------+
| simpático | simpática | nice/friendly |
| amable | amable | kind |
| inteligente | inteligente | intelligent |
| divertido | divertida | fun/funny |
| aburrido | aburrida | boring |
| trabajador | trabajadora | hard-working |
| perezoso | perezosa | lazy |
| feliz | feliz | happy |
| triste | triste | sad |
| bueno | buena | good |
| malo | mala | bad |
+------------------+------------------+-------------------------+
💡 Special Note: "Bueno" and "malo" can go BEFORE or AFTER the noun, but they shorten when placed BEFORE:
- Un buen hombre (a good man) - shortened
- Un hombre bueno (a good man) - full form
Word Order: Noun + Adjective
In Spanish, the typical pattern is NOUN + ADJECTIVE (opposite of English):
+---------------------------+---------------------------+
| ENGLISH (Adj + Noun) | SPANISH (Noun + Adj) |
+---------------------------+---------------------------+
| a tall man | un hombre alto |
| the small house | la casa pequeña |
| my funny brother | mi hermano divertido |
| an intelligent woman | una mujer inteligente |
+---------------------------+---------------------------+
🤔 Did You Know? A few common adjectives (like bueno, malo, grande, pequeño) can go BEFORE the noun for emphasis or poetic effect, sometimes with meaning changes!
Core Concept 3: Expressing Likes & Dislikes ❤️
The Magic of "Me Gusta"
Me gusta (I like) is one of the most useful phrases in Spanish, but it works differently than English!
Literal translation: "It is pleasing to me"
+---------------------------+---------------------------+
| ENGLISH | SPANISH |
+---------------------------+---------------------------+
| I like coffee | Me gusta el café |
| (literally: "Coffee is pleasing to me") |
+---------------------------+---------------------------+
| I like dogs | Me gustan los perros |
| (literally: "Dogs are pleasing to me") |
+---------------------------+---------------------------+
🔑 Key Rule:
- Me gusta + singular noun (me gusta el libro - I like the book)
- Me gustan + plural noun (me gustan los libros - I like books)
The verb changes to match what you like, NOT who is doing the liking!
Expressing Dislikes
Simply add no before "me gusta":
- No me gusta el café (I don't like coffee)
- No me gustan las manzanas (I don't like apples)
Other Useful Expressions
Me encanta(n) = I love it/them (stronger than gusta)
- Me encanta mi familia (I love my family)
- Me encantan los libros (I love books)
Te gusta(n) = You like (informal)
- ¿Te gusta el chocolate? (Do you like chocolate?)
- ¿Te gustan tus profesores? (Do you like your teachers?)
💡 Pro Tip: To ask questions with "me gusta," just add question marks and use rising intonation:
- ¿Te gusta tu hermano? (Do you like your brother?)
- ¿Te gustan tus abuelos? (Do you like your grandparents?)
Example 1: Introducing Your Family 👋
Situational Scenario: At a Coffee Shop ☕
You're meeting a Spanish-speaking friend for coffee. She asks about your family. Here's how the conversation might flow:
María: ¿Tienes hermanos? (Do you have siblings?)
You: Sí, tengo dos hermanos. Mi hermano se llama David y mi hermana se llama Ana. (Yes, I have two siblings. My brother is called David and my sister is called Ana.)
María: ¿Cómo es David? (What is David like?)
You: David es alto y simpático. Es muy divertido. (David is tall and nice. He is very funny.)
María: ¿Y Ana? (And Ana?)
You: Ana es pequeña e inteligente. Me gusta mi hermana. (Ana is small and intelligent. I like my sister.)
Breaking It Down:
1️⃣ ¿Tienes hermanos? - Uses "tienes" (you have) from Lesson 2
2️⃣ Tengo dos hermanos - "Tengo" (I have) + number + family member
3️⃣ Mi hermano se llama... - "Se llama" means "is called" (reflexive verb)
4️⃣ David es alto y simpático - Uses "es" (he/she is) + two adjectives connected with "y" (and)
5️⃣ Es muy divertido - "Muy" (very) goes BEFORE the adjective
6️⃣ Me gusta mi hermana - Expressing affection using "me gusta"
🗣️ Pronunciation Tip: When "y" (and) comes before a word starting with "i" or "hi," it changes to "e": "pequeña e inteligente" (small and intelligent). This makes it easier to say!
Example 2: Describing Family Characteristics 🎭
Situational Scenario: Showing Family Photos 📱
You're scrolling through photos on your phone with a Spanish exchange student:
You: Esta es mi familia. (This is my family.)
Luis: ¿Quiénes son? (Who are they?)
You: Este es mi padre. Es alto y trabajador. Esta es mi madre. Es simpática y muy inteligente. (This is my father. He is tall and hard-working. This is my mother. She is nice and very intelligent.)
Luis: ¿Y los abuelos? (And the grandparents?)
You: Mis abuelos son viejos pero divertidos. Me encantan mis abuelos. (My grandparents are old but funny. I love my grandparents.)
Key Vocabulary in Action:
+---------------------------+---------------------------+
| PHRASE | MEANING |
+---------------------------+---------------------------+
| Este es... | This is... (masculine) |
| Esta es... | This is... (feminine) |
| Estos son... | These are... (masculine) |
| Estas son... | These are... (feminine) |
| ¿Quiénes son? | Who are they? |
| pero | but |
+---------------------------+---------------------------+
💡 Connecting Words: Use "y" (and) to add positive traits, "pero" (but) to contrast:
- Mi hermana es pequeña pero fuerte (My sister is small but strong)
- Mi padre es alto y guapo (My father is tall and handsome)
Example 3: Asking About Someone Else's Family 🤝
Situational Scenario: Making New Friends 🌟
You want to learn about your new friend's family:
You: ¿Cómo es tu familia? (What is your family like?)
Ana: Mi familia es grande. Tengo tres hermanos. (My family is big. I have three siblings.)
You: ¿Cómo son tus hermanos? (What are your siblings like?)
Ana: Mi hermano mayor es alto y serio. Mis dos hermanas son pequeñas y divertidas. (My older brother is tall and serious. My two sisters are small and funny.)
You: ¿Te gustan tus hermanos? (Do you like your siblings?)
Ana: Sí, me gustan. Son simpáticos. (Yes, I like them. They are nice.)
New Useful Vocabulary:
- mayor = older (el hermano mayor = the older brother)
- menor = younger (la hermana menor = the younger sister)
- serio/seria = serious
- ¿Cómo es/son...? = What is/are... like?
🎯 Common Expression: "Hermano mayor" and "hermana menor" are used all the time! Practice these:
- Mi hermano mayor tiene 25 años (My older brother is 25 years old)
- Mi hermana menor es estudiante (My younger sister is a student)
Example 4: A Complete Mini-Story 📖
"Mi Familia" (My Family)
Read this short story that uses ALL the vocabulary from this lesson. Try to understand it without translating word-by-word:
Mi Familia
Me llamo Carlos. Mi familia es pequeña pero simpática. Tengo un hermano y una hermana. Mi hermano se llama Roberto. Roberto es alto y fuerte. Es muy trabajador. Mi hermana se llama Isabel. Isabel es baja y divertida. Me gusta mi hermana.
Mis padres son buenos. Mi padre es inteligente y amable. Mi madre es simpática. Me encantan mis padres.
Tengo dos abuelos. Mi abuelo es viejo pero feliz. Mi abuela es pequeña. Mis abuelos son divertidos.
¿Cómo es tu familia?
Translation & Analysis:
My name is Carlos. My family is small but nice. I have one brother and one sister. My brother is called Roberto. Roberto is tall and strong. He is very hard-working. My sister is called Isabel. Isabel is short and funny. I like my sister.
My parents are good. My father is intelligent and kind. My mother is nice. I love my parents.
I have two grandparents. My grandfather is old but happy. My grandmother is small. My grandparents are funny.
What is your family like?
🔧 Try This: Read the story aloud three times. First time slowly, second time at normal speed, third time trying to "feel" the meaning without translating. This builds fluency!
Common Mistakes ⚠️
Mistake 1: Forgetting Gender Agreement
❌ Wrong: Mi hermana es alto y simpático ✅ Correct: Mi hermana es alta y simpática
Why: Adjectives must match the gender of the noun. "Hermana" is feminine, so adjectives need the -a ending.
Mistake 2: Wrong Word Order
❌ Wrong: Mi simpática hermana (copying English order) ✅ Better: Mi hermana simpática (Spanish order: noun + adjective)
Note: While "mi simpática hermana" isn't grammatically wrong, it sounds poetic/literary. Stick with noun + adjective for natural speech.
Mistake 3: Confusing "Me Gusta" with "Gusto"
❌ Wrong: Yo gusto mi familia ✅ Correct: Me gusta mi familia
Why: "Gustar" works backwards from English. You don't "like" something; something "is pleasing to you."
Mistake 4: Using "Gusta" with Plural Nouns
❌ Wrong: Me gusta mis hermanos ✅ Correct: Me gustan mis hermanos
Why: When you like multiple things, use "gustan" (plural form).
Mistake 5: Mixing Up "Hijo/Hija" Pronunciation
⚠️ Be Careful:
- hijo (EE-hoh) = son
- hija (EE-hah) = daughter
The "h" is SILENT in Spanish! Don't pronounce it like English "hello."
Mistake 6: Forgetting "Los/Las" with Plural Family
❌ Wrong: Mis padres son altos (missing article in some constructions) ✅ Correct: Los padres son altos (when talking generally)
But: "Mis padres son altos" is correct when using possessive! The possessive replaces the article.
Key Takeaways 🎯
Essential Grammar Patterns
1️⃣ Gender Endings:
- Masculine: -o (hermano, alto, simpático)
- Feminine: -a (hermana, alta, simpática)
- Neutral: -e stays same (grande, inteligente, fuerte)
2️⃣ Word Order: NOUN + ADJECTIVE
- hermano alto (tall brother)
- casa grande (big house)
3️⃣ Me Gusta Structure:
- Me gusta + SINGULAR (me gusta mi padre)
- Me gustan + PLURAL (me gustan mis abuelos)
4️⃣ Possession:
- mi/mis = my
- tu/tus = your
- Match singular/plural with the noun!
Most Important Vocabulary
Family (Top 10):
- la familia (family)
- el padre/la madre (father/mother)
- los padres (parents)
- el hermano/la hermana (brother/sister)
- el hijo/la hija (son/daughter)
- el abuelo/la abuela (grandfather/grandmother)
- el tío/la tía (uncle/aunt)
- el primo/la prima (cousin)
Adjectives (Top 12):
- alto/alta (tall)
- bajo/baja (short)
- grande (big)
- pequeño/pequeña (small)
- joven (young)
- viejo/vieja (old)
- simpático/simpática (nice)
- inteligente (intelligent)
- divertido/divertida (funny)
- bueno/buena (good)
- guapo/guapa (handsome/beautiful)
- trabajador/trabajadora (hard-working)
Expressions:
- Me gusta(n) = I like
- Me encanta(n) = I love
- ¿Cómo es...? = What is... like?
- Este/Esta es... = This is...
Quick Reference Card 📋
╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ LESSON 3: FAMILY & DESCRIPTIONS ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ FAMILY CORE ║
║ • padre/madre (father/mother) ║
║ • hermano/hermana (brother/sister) ║
║ • hijo/hija (son/daughter) ║
║ • abuelo/abuela (grandfather/grandmother) ║
║ • mi = my (singular) | mis = my (plural) ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ ADJECTIVE RULES ║
║ • -o ending → masculine (alto, simpático) ║
║ • -a ending → feminine (alta, simpática) ║
║ • -e ending → both genders (grande, inteligente) ║
║ • Order: NOUN + ADJECTIVE (hermano alto) ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ ME GUSTA (I LIKE) ║
║ • Me gusta + singular: Me gusta el café ║
║ • Me gustan + plural: Me gustan los libros ║
║ • No me gusta(n) = I don't like ║
║ • Me encanta(n) = I love (stronger) ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ KEY PHRASES ║
║ • ¿Cómo es...? (What is... like?) ║
║ • Este/Esta es... (This is...) ║
║ • Tengo dos hermanos (I have two siblings) ║
║ • Mi hermano es alto y simpático ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
Cultural Context 🎭
Family in Spanish-Speaking Cultures
La familia is central to Spanish-speaking cultures! Here are some cultural notes:
🏠 Extended Family: In many Spanish-speaking countries, it's common for multiple generations to live together or very close by. Grandparents often help raise grandchildren.
👋 Greetings: Family members greet each other with kisses on the cheek (usually one in Spain, can be more in Latin America). Even male family members often embrace warmly.
🎉 Celebrations: Family gatherings are BIG events. Sunday lunch with extended family is a tradition in many households.
💬 Nicknames: Spanish families use many affectionate nicknames:
- "Papá/Mamá" (Dad/Mom) instead of formal padre/madre
- "Abuelito/Abuelita" (Grandpa/Grandma with -ito/ita making it extra affectionate)
- "Hermanito/Hermanita" (little brother/sister, even for adults!)
🤔 Did You Know? In Spanish-speaking countries, people often use BOTH parents' last names! First comes father's surname, then mother's. So if María García marries Juan López, their child might be "Carlos López García."
Further Study 📚
StudySpanish.com - Family Vocabulary: https://www.studyspanish.com/vocabulary/family - Interactive exercises and audio for family terms
SpanishDict - Adjectives Guide: https://www.spanishdict.com/guide/spanish-adjectives - Comprehensive guide to adjective agreement and placement
BBC Languages - Spanish Family: https://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/mividaloca/ep01/ - Video content showing real Spanish families in conversation
🎉 ¡Felicidades! You've completed Lesson 3! You can now talk about your family and describe the people in your life. Practice by describing three family members using at least two adjectives each. ¡Buena suerte! (Good luck!)