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Study in the app →Spanish · CEFR Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 26
¿Cómo es? What is he like?
Vocabulary for describing people: alto (tall), bajo (short), joven (young), mayor (old/elderly), guapo (good-looking), simpático (nice), el pelo (hair), los ojos (eyes), rubio (blond), moreno (dark-haired). Key grammar: for TRAITS we use "ser" + adjective (Es alto = he is tall, Es simpática = she is nice — the adjective agrees in gender and number, like the colour in ch23); for concrete PHYSICAL FEATURES we use "tener" + article (Tiene el pelo rubio = he has blond hair, Tiene los ojos azules = she has blue eyes). English speakers use "ser" for physical features — "Es ojos azules" ✗ → "Tiene los ojos azules" ✓. Comparing: "más + adjective + que" (Ana es más alta que Luis = Ana is taller than Luis). Pronunciation corner: the "j" and the "g".
Dialogue
Es ojos / Tiene los ojos
- Lucía ¿Cómo es tu hermana? What is your sister like?
- Mike Es alta. Es ojos azules. She is tall. She is blue eyes. (slip: a physical feature uses "tener" — say "Tiene los ojos azules")
- Lucía Con el pelo y los ojos usamos "tener": "Tiene los ojos azules". With hair and eyes we use "tener": "Tiene los ojos azules".
- Mike Ah, es alta y tiene los ojos azules. Ah, she is tall and has blue eyes.
Dialogue
¿Quién es? — Who is she?
- Carlos ¿Quién es la chica alta? Who is the tall girl?
- Lucía Es mi hermana Ana. Es muy simpática. She is my sister Ana. She is very nice.
- Carlos ¿Tiene el pelo rubio? Does she have blond hair?
- Lucía No, tiene el pelo moreno. Es más joven que yo. No, she has dark hair. She is younger than me.
- Carlos ¡Es muy guapa! She is very good-looking!
Vocabulary
| 汉字 | Pinyin | POS | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| alto | adj. | tall | |
| bajo | adj. | short (height) | |
| joven | adj. | young | |
| mayor | adj. | old, elderly | |
| guapo | adj. | good-looking, handsome | |
| simpático | adj. | nice, friendly | |
| el pelo | n. | hair | |
| los ojos | n. | eyes | |
| rubio | adj. | blond | |
| moreno | adj. | dark-haired, brown |
Grammar
ser (rasgos) y tener (rasgos físicos) ser (traits) and tener (physical features)
Para describir cómo ES una persona, usa "ser" + adjetivo: "Es alto", "Es simpática", "Son jóvenes". El adjetivo concuerda en género y número (como el color del cap. 23): alto/alta, simpático/simpática. Pero para un rasgo físico CONCRETO (pelo, ojos), el español usa "tener" + artículo + sustantivo + adjetivo: "Tiene el pelo rubio", "Tiene los ojos azules", "Tengo el pelo moreno". Los angloparlantes dicen "he IS blue eyes" y usan "ser" — "Es ojos azules" ✗ → "Tiene los ojos azules" ✓. Para comparar, pon "más … que": "Ana es más alta que Luis", "Soy más joven que tú".
To describe what a person IS like, use "ser" + adjective: "Es alto" (he is tall), "Es simpática" (she is nice), "Son jóvenes" (they are young). The adjective agrees in gender and number (like the colour in ch23): alto/alta, simpático/simpática. But for a concrete PHYSICAL feature (hair, eyes), Spanish uses "tener" + article + noun + adjective: "Tiene el pelo rubio" (he has blond hair), "Tiene los ojos azules" (she has blue eyes), "Tengo el pelo moreno" (I have dark hair). English speakers say "he IS blue eyes" and use "ser" — "Es ojos azules" ✗ → "Tiene los ojos azules" ✓. To compare, put "más … que": "Ana es más alta que Luis" (Ana is taller than Luis), "Soy más joven que tú" (I am younger than you).
- Mi hermano es alto y simpático. My brother is tall and nice.
- Tiene el pelo rubio y los ojos azules. She has blond hair and blue eyes.
- Tengo el pelo moreno. I have dark hair.
- Ana es más alta que Luis. Ana is taller than Luis.
pronunciation
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