Ask a Question

(Create a thread)
Go Back   Spanish language learning forums > Spanish & English Languages > Grammar


Confused about adjective placement

 

This is the place for questions about conjugations, verb tenses, adverbs, adjectives, word order, syntax and other grammar questions for English or Spanish.


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old July 01, 2016, 10:02 PM
Tina's Avatar
Tina Tina is offline
Opal
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: USA
Posts: 7
Native Language: American English
Tina is on a distinguished road
Confused about adjective placement

Hi all. I've been away for a long time, but I'm still working on my Spanish, albeit slowly!

This has been bugging me for a long time. I know the adjective normally follows the noun it describes, but apparently there are times when it goes before the noun. Below are examples from a word-of-the-day I subscribe to:


1. Los recién casados se hospedaron en un suntuoso hotel en la Riviera Maya.
The newlyweds stayed in a lavish hotel on the Mayan Riviera.

2. El suntuoso Palacio de Versalles fue usado con fines políticos por Luis XIV.
The magnificent Palace of Versailles was used for political purposes by Louis XIV.

In both examples, suntuoso precedes hotel and Palacio de Versalles. In #2 políticos follows fines, which makes sense to me, so why is suntuoso the opposite? They are both adjectives, are they not?

If someone can help me understand this, I will be eternally grateful!

Last edited by Rusty; July 01, 2016 at 10:23 PM. Reason: removed markup and links
Reply With Quote
   
Get rid of these ads by registering for a free Tomísimo account.
  #2  
Old July 01, 2016, 10:32 PM
Rusty's Avatar
Rusty Rusty is online now
Señor Speedy
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 11,299
Native Language: American English
Rusty has a spectacular aura aboutRusty has a spectacular aura about
The adjective in question falls into the category of adjectives that emphasize an essential quality of the nouns they describe. These typically precede the noun.

Without the adjective (which is only there to give emphasis), we would already assume that the palace is magnificent or that a hotel on the Riviera is lavish.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old July 02, 2016, 08:04 AM
Tina's Avatar
Tina Tina is offline
Opal
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: USA
Posts: 7
Native Language: American English
Tina is on a distinguished road
Ahhh, I think I understand. Thanks Rusty! I will have to study more instances before it really sinks in. Sorry about pasting the links. I copied it from my email and didn't realize it would do that. Thanks also for fixing!
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old July 03, 2016, 02:27 PM
aleCcowaN's Avatar
aleCcowaN aleCcowaN is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Posts: 3,127
Native Language: Castellano
aleCcowaN is on a distinguished road
I will say it once and again:

Se reunieron en el palacio suntuoso (no se reunieron en el otro palacio venido a menos)

Se reunieron en el suntuoso palacio (el palacio es suntuoso; la suntuosidad es una de las características más destacadas de ese palacio en particular)

Se reunieron en el palacio (es un palacio cualquiera, más probablemente uno no suntuoso)

recién casados = newlyweds
casados recién = married just a moment ago

fines políticos (as opposed to "fines culturales" or "fines recreativos")
fines ulteriores (ulterior motives; as opposed to "fines aparentes" or "fines propuestos")
malévolos fines (evil motives: those motives are evil; not specially evil, not remarkably evil, not emphatically evil, but evil as a whole)
__________________
[gone]
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old July 04, 2016, 09:21 AM
Tina's Avatar
Tina Tina is offline
Opal
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: USA
Posts: 7
Native Language: American English
Tina is on a distinguished road
This is very helpful. Thanks aleCcowaN!
Reply With Quote
Reply

 

Link to this thread
URL: 
HTML Link: 
BB Code: 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Site Rules

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Adjective placement BobRitter Grammar 3 March 09, 2016 12:26 PM
Descriptive adjective placement Glen Grammar 2 March 16, 2014 06:02 PM
Pronoun placement hwils66 Grammar 12 September 04, 2012 02:58 PM
Verb/subject placement wafflestomp Grammar 4 March 11, 2011 07:37 PM
Protective placement Elaina Translations 19 March 10, 2009 08:28 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:34 AM.

Forum powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

X