Vocabulary - describing appearences
Relationships with family and friends are a key part of our lives. It's important to be able to talk about the people that matter to us. Family is very important in Spain, with many young people living with their parents well into their twenties, and then staying nearby when they move out.
Here are some words to describe what people look like.
| Soy/es... | I am... he/she is... |
| alto/a | tall |
| bajo/a | short |
| grande | big |
| pequeño/a | small |
| guapo/a | good looking |
| feo/a | ugly |
| gordo/a | fat |
| delgado/a | slim |
| Soy/es... |
| I am... he/she is... |
| alto/a |
| tall |
| bajo/a |
| short |
| grande |
| big |
| pequeño/a |
| small |
| guapo/a |
| good looking |
| feo/a |
| ugly |
| gordo/a |
| fat |
| delgado/a |
| slim |
Words like muy (very), bastante (quite) and un poco (a little) can make descriptions more interesting, eg creo que mi hermano es un poco feo (I think that my brother is a little ugly).
It's also useful to describe hair style and colour.
| Tengo el pelo... /tiene el pelo... | I have ... hair/he/she has ... hair |
| ... largo/corto/liso/rizado | ... long/short/straight/curly |
| ... y rubio/moreno/blanco/negro/castaño/pelirrojo | ... blond/dark/white/black/brown/red |
| Tengo el pelo... /tiene el pelo... |
| I have ... hair/he/she has ... hair |
| ... largo/corto/liso/rizado |
| ... long/short/straight/curly |
| ... y rubio/moreno/blanco/negro/castaño/pelirrojo |
| ... blond/dark/white/black/brown/red |
eg Mi hermano tiene el pelo corto y negro (My brother has short black hair).
You can also mention eye colour.
| Tiene los ojos... | He/she has ... eyes |
| ... azules/marrones/verdes | ... blue/brown/green |
| Tiene los ojos... |
| He/she has ... eyes |
| ... azules/marrones/verdes |
| ... blue/brown/green |
Here are some other useful phrases.
| llevo/lleva gafas | I wear/he/she wears glasses |
| tengo/tiene pecas | I have/he/she has freckles |
| tengo/tiene barba/bigote | I have/he has a beard/moustache |
| soy/es calvo/a | I am/he/she is bald |
| llevo/lleva gafas |
| I wear/he/she wears glasses |
| tengo/tiene pecas |
| I have/he/she has freckles |
| tengo/tiene barba/bigote |
| I have/he has a beard/moustache |
| soy/es calvo/a |
| I am/he/she is bald |
Read the descriptions and choose the correct person:
Question
Es bastante alto. Tiene los ojos marrones, es calvo y tiene barba.
D. He is quite tall. He has brown eyes, he is bald and he has a beard.
Question
Es bajo. Tiene el pelo corto y rubio y lleva gafas.
C. He is very short. He has short blond hair and he wears glasses.
Question
Tiene el pelo muy largo y pelirrojo. Tiene los ojos verdes y tiene muchas pecas.
B. She has very long red hair. She has green eyes and she has lots of freckles.
Question
Tiene el pelo corto, rizado y negro. Tiene los ojos marrones y no lleva gafas.
A. He has short, curly black hair. He has brown eyes and he doesn't wear glasses.
