Vocabulary: appearance and personality

Describe what people look like and what they are like. Adjectives agree with the person.

Practise this lesson free (7 questions)

Appearance

Tener el pelo + adjective: Tengo el pelo corto y rizado. Ser + adjective: Es alto y delgado.
SpanishEnglish
el pelohair
los ojoseyes
la caraface
la barbabeard
las gafasglasses
rubio / rubiablond
pelirrojo / pelirrojared-haired
castaño / castañabrown (hair)
rizado / rizadacurly
liso / lisastraight (hair)
corto / cortashort (length)
largo / largalong
delgado / delgadaslim
gordo / gordafat
alto / altatall
bajo / bajashort (height)
calvo / calvabald

Personality: positive

Adjectives ending in -e or -ista do not change for a girl: amable, deportista.
SpanishEnglish
simpático / simpáticanice, friendly
amablekind
divertido / divertidafun, funny
trabajador / trabajadorahard-working
serio / seriaserious
generoso / generosagenerous
hablador / habladorachatty
tranquilo / tranquilacalm
educado / educadapolite
deportistasporty
alegrecheerful
inteligenteintelligent
pacientepatient

Personality and feelings

Estar for moods and states: estoy cansado. Ser aburrido = to be boring; estar aburrido = to be bored.
SpanishEnglish
perezoso / perezosalazy
egoístaselfish
antipático / antipáticaunfriendly
maleducado / maleducadarude
tímido / tímidashy
tonto / tontasilly
mimado / mimadaspoilt
travieso / traviesanaughty
tristesad
contento / contentapleased
felizhappy
enfadado / enfadadaangry
cansado / cansadatired
loco / locamad, crazy
orgulloso / orgullosa (H)proud
Worked example

Translate: My sister has long curly hair and she is very generous.

  1. has ... hair = tiene el pelo
  2. long curly = largo y rizado (masculine singular, agreeing with pelo)
  3. generous, for a girl = generosa

Answer: Mi hermana tiene el pelo largo y rizado y es muy generosa.

Key idea

El pelo corto / largo / rizado / liso, rubio, pelirrojo, castaño; alto, bajo, delgado, calvo. Simpático, amable, divertido, trabajador, generoso, hablador, educado. Perezoso, egoísta, antipático, maleducado, tímido, mimado; feliz, enfadado, cansado.

Common mistakes
Quick check

Try two quick questions

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Extra practice

2 more questions

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  1. What does liso / lisa (hair) mean?

    1. red-haired
    2. straight
    3. slim
    4. short (height)
    Show the answer

    Answer: straight

    Liso = straight.

  2. Which is the Spanish for "curly"?

    1. calvo / calva
    2. rubio / rubia
    3. la cara
    4. rizado / rizada
    Show the answer

    Answer: rizado / rizada

    Curly = rizado.

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Last updated 2 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will fix it.

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