Now we move from family names to family descriptions. In this lesson, you'll learn how to describe someone's appearance — height, build, hair, eyes. Plus you'll nail adjective agreement, one of the most important grammar points in all of Portuguese. By the end, you'll paint a vivid picture of anyone you know.
Learning tips
- Adjectives in Portuguese **agree** with the noun they describe: um menino alto / uma menina alta / meninos altos / meninas altas.
- Adjectives ending in **-e** (grande, forte, inteligente) don't change for gender — only for number.
- Adjective placement: usually **after** the noun ('uma casa grande'), unlike English ('a big house').
- 'Cabelo' and 'olhos' take articles: 'o cabelo castanho' (the brown hair), 'os olhos verdes' (the green eyes).
Warm-up & Active Recall
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| o ano | the year |
| quantos | how many |
| jovem | young |
| velho | old |
| mais velho | older |
| mais novo | younger |
| vinte | twenty |
| trinta | thirty |
| quarenta | forty |
| cinquenta | fifty |
Dialog
Beatriz and Thiago exchange descriptions of their mothers by looking at photos on Beatriz's phone in Copacabana. Listen for the pattern: ser + adjective (for inherent traits) and ter + o/os + noun + adjective (for features like hair and eyes). This mix of 'ser' and 'ter' is how native speakers describe people.
Vocabulary
Active words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| alto | /ˈaw.tu/ | tall (masc.) | Feminine: alta. Final -l → /w/: /ˈaw.tu/ |
| baixo | /ˈbaj.ʃu/ | short (in height, masc.) | Feminine: baixa. Final -xo /ʃu/ |
| grande | /ˈɡɾɐ̃.dʒi/ | big, large | Same masc./fem. — ends in -e |
| pequeno | /peˈke.nu/ | small (masc.) | Feminine: pequena |
| bonito | /boˈni.tu/ | handsome, beautiful (masc.) | Used for people and things |
| bonita | /boˈni.tɐ/ | pretty, beautiful (fem.) | Used for women and feminine nouns |
| magro | /ˈma.ɡɾu/ | thin, slim (masc.) | Feminine: magra. Neutral description — not negative |
| gordo | /ˈɡoʁ.du/ | fat (masc.) | Feminine: gorda. Can be neutral or pejorative — use with care |
| o cabelo | /u kaˈbe.lu/ | the hair | Masculine singular — 'os cabelos' is unusual |
| os olhos | /us ˈɔ.ʎus/ | the eyes | Plural of 'o olho' — final -s |
Passive words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| loiro | /ˈloj.ɾu/ | blond (masc.) | Feminine: loira |
| moreno | /moˈɾe.nu/ | dark-skinned, dark-haired (masc.) | Feminine: morena. Neutral description in Brazil |
| castanho | /kasˈtɐ.ɲu/ | brown (hair or eyes, masc.) | Feminine: castanha |
| comprido | /kõˈpɾi.du/ | long (masc.) | Feminine: comprida |
| curto | /ˈkuʁ.tu/ | short (length, masc.) | Feminine: curta. 'Curto' for length, 'baixo' for height |
| forte | /ˈfɔʁ.tʃi/ | strong | Same masc./fem. — ends in -e |
Useful chunks
| Word | Translation |
|---|---|
| como é a sua mãe? | what is your mother like? |
| ele tem o cabelo comprido | he has long hair |
Grammar: Noun-adjective agreement in gender and number; adjective placement after the noun
| Substantivo | Adjetivo masc. sing. | Adjetivo fem. sing. | Masc. plural | Fem. plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| irmão | alto | — | altos | — |
| irmã | — | alta | — | altas |
| menino | bonito | — | bonitos | — |
| menina | — | bonita | — | bonitas |
| cabelo | comprido / curto | — | — | — |
| olhos | — | — | castanhos / verdes | — |
Regras principais:
1. Posição: o adjetivo normalmente vem depois do substantivo: 'uma menina bonita' (não 'uma bonita menina').
2. Gênero: adjetivos terminados em -o → -a para o feminino (alto → alta). Adjetivos terminados em -e (grande, forte, inteligente) ou -ar (familiar) são iguais nos dois gêneros.
3. Número: adjetivos terminados em vogal → +s; terminados em consoante → normalmente +es.
4. O adjetivo concorda com o substantivo que descreve, não com o falante: 'Meu pai é alto' (masc.) / 'Minha mãe é alta' (fem.).
Adjective agreement is a core feature of Portuguese. Every adjective must match the noun it describes in both gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural).
Rules for gender:
- Adjectives ending in -o → change to -a for feminine: alto → alta, bonito → bonita, magro → magra.
- Adjectives ending in -e (grande, forte, triste, inteligente) → no change between genders.
- Adjectives ending in -r or -z (trabalhador, feliz) → often add -a for feminine: trabalhador → trabalhadora.
- Adjectives ending in -l (legal, especial) → no change for gender.
- Adjectives ending in consoant + -ês (francês, português) → feminine: francesa, portuguesa (remove accent).
Rules for number (plural):
- Ends in vowel → +s: alto → altos, bonita → bonitas.
- Ends in -r, -z, -s → +es: trabalhador → trabalhadores, feliz → felizes.
- Ends in -l (with stress on last syllable) → -is: legal → legais, especial → especiais.
- Ends in -m → -ns: jovem → jovens, bom → bons.
Adjective placement:
- Almost always after the noun: 'uma menina bonita', 'um carro grande'.
- A handful of adjectives can come before (muito, tanto, pouco), and a few change meaning when placed before vs. after ('um grande amigo' = a great friend / 'um amigo grande' = a tall/big friend).
Agreement with the noun, not the speaker: 'Minha mãe é alta' (my mother is tall — adjective matches 'mãe', feminine), even if I (the speaker) am male.
Exercises
Fill in the Blanks — Adjective Agreement
Complete with the correct form of the adjective.
- Minha mãe é . (tall, fem.)(tall — must match 'mãe', feminine)
- Meu pai é . (short, masc.)(short — must match 'pai', masculine)
- As minhas irmãs são . (pretty, fem. pl.)(pretty — match 'irmãs', fem. pl.)
- Os olhos dela são . (brown, masc. pl.)(brown — match 'olhos', masc. pl.)
- Ele tem o cabelo . (long, masc.)(long — match 'cabelo', masc. sing.)
Grammar Application
Transform the adjective as indicated.
- Masc. → Fem.: alto → (masc. → fem.)
- Masc. → Fem.: bonito → (masc. → fem.)
- Sing. → Plural: pequeno → (singular → plural, masc.)
- Sing. → Plural: grande → (singular → plural — ends in -e)
- Sing. → Plural: bonita → (singular → plural, fem.)
Translation (English → Portuguese)
Translate. Watch the adjective agreement!
- My mother is tall and pretty.
- He has short hair and brown eyes.
- My sisters are small.
- What is your father like?
- She is thin and has long hair.
Creative Construction
Describe a family member's appearance in 2-3 sentences — use at least 3 adjectives plus 'ter' for hair/eyes.
Takeaway
Portuguese adjectives **agree with the noun** in gender and number: alto/alta/altos/altas. Adjectives ending in -e (grande, forte) don't change for gender. Place adjectives **after** the noun. Describe hair and eyes with 'ter + o/os + noun + adjective': 'Ela **tem** os olhos castanhos.'