Describing things in Spanish? It’s fun. It was really fun. You can talk about anything.
You can say how stuff looks. How it feels. Big or small. Happy or sad. And guess what? You don’t need big words. Just simple ones.
This guide shows you how. With real examples. Easy patterns. Words you can use today. Right now.
Ready? Let’s go!
Two Main Words You Need
To describe stuff in Spanish, you need two words:
ser
estar
Both mean “to be.” But they work differently.
Use ser for stuff that stays the same:
- How someone acts
- What they look like
- Colors
- Shapes
- Size
- Where they’re from
- What something is
Use estar for stuff that changes:
- Feelings
- Where you are
- How things are right now
Think like:
- Ser = what it IS
- Estar = how it IS
Look:
Ella es alta.
She is tall. (Always tall)
Ella está cansada.
She is tired. (Just tired now)
Same girl. Different types of things.
How to Describe People
People are fun to describe. Start simple.
Easy words to know:
- alto, alta (tall)
- bajo, baja (short)
- joven (young)
- viejo, vieja (old)
- guapo, guapa (good looking)
- bonito, bonita (nice looking)
- feo, fea (not pretty)
- simpático, simpática (nice person)
- amable (kind)
- serio, seria (serious)
- divertido, divertida (fun)
- fuerte (strong)
- débil (weak)
Also Read: Household Items in Spanish: Words You Can Learn Fast
Hair and Eyes
Want to talk about hair? Eyes? Easy!
Hair words:
- pelo largo (long hair)
- pelo corto (short hair)
- pelo rizado (curly hair)
- pelo liso (straight hair)
- pelo negro (black hair)
- pelo rubio (blonde hair)
- pelo castaño (brown hair)
Eye words:
- ojos negros (black eyes)
- ojos marrones (brown eyes)
- ojos azules (blue eyes)
- ojos verdes (green eyes)
Also Read: Saber Subjunctive Conjugation: Guide for Beginners
How People Act
You know, how someone behaves. Their vibe.
- amable (kind)
- alegre (happy type)
- serio, seria (serious)
- inteligente (smart)
- trabajador, trabajadora (works hard)
- tímido, tímida (shy)
- loco, loca (crazy – but fun crazy)
Check it out:
Él es trabajador.
He works hard. Always.
Places You Go
Talking about places? Fun stuff.
- grande (big)
- pequeño, pequeña (small)
- viejo, vieja (old)
- moderno, moderna (modern)
- limpio, limpia (clean)
Stuff Around You
Things need words too.
- grande (big)
- pequeño (small)
- nuevo (new)
- viejo (old)
- caro (costs a lot)
- barato (cheap)
- pesado (heavy)
- ligero (light)
- duro (hard)
- suave (soft)
Like:
La mesa es grande.
The table? Big.
Este libro es nuevo.
This book is new. Brand new!
La mochila es ligera.
The backpack? Light as air.
Colors Make It Fun
Colors! Everyone loves colors.
- rojo (red)
- azul (blue)
- amarillo (yellow)
- verde (green)
- negro (black)
- blanco (white)
- marrón (brown)
- gris (gray)
- rosa (pink)
- morado (purple)
Quick tip: Colors change with gender.
- La mesa blanca
- El carro blanco
What You Wear
Things to wear:
- vestido (dress)
- falda (skirt)
- chaqueta (jacket)
- gorra (cap)
Size and Shape
How big? What shape? Easy words:
- grande (big)
- pequeño (small)
- largo (long)
- corto (short)
- ancho (wide)
- estrecho (narrow)
- redondo (round)
- cuadrado (square)
Like this:
El cuarto es ancho.
The room? Wide!
El plato es redondo.
The plate is round. Duh.
Also Read: Hacer in Preterite: Guide You Can Learn Fast
Food Talk
Food! Describe taste and smell.
How it tastes:
- salado (salty)
- amargo (bitter)
- picante (spicy)
- suave (mild)
How it smells:
- huele bien (smells good)
- huele mal (smells bad)
Try:
La sopa es picante.
The soup? Spicy! Whoa!
Put It All Together
The trick is here:
thing + verb + description
Watch:
El perro es grande y negro.
The dog? Big and black.
Mi casa es pequeña pero bonita.
My house? Small but pretty!
El clima está frío hoy.
The weather? It’s cold today. Brr.
Start simple. Add more later.
Little Words That Help
These make you sound better:
- muy (very)
- un poco (a little)
- bastante (pretty)
- demasiado (too much)
- más o menos (kinda)
Like:
Es muy bonito.
It’s very pretty!
La comida está demasiado caliente.
The food? Too hot! Ouch!
Your Turn!
Try describing:
- Your room
- Your best friend
- Your favorite food
- A place you love
- Your pet
Use simple words. Short lines. Practice lots. It gets easy!
Spanish descriptions? Not hard! Use ser for stuff that stays. Use estar for stuff that changes. Add easy words. Keep it short. Say it lots.
Soon? You’ll talk about everything! People. Places. Things. Your Spanish will sound real. Natural. And way more fun.