Adjectives That Change Meaning
Some adjectives change meanings depending on their position: either before or after the noun.
| Before noun | Word | After noun |
|---|---|---|
| former | antiguo | ancient |
| certain (particular) | cierto | certain (sure) |
| darn | dichoso | lucky, happy |
| great, impressive | grande (gran) | large (physically) |
| half- | medio | middle, average |
| same | mismo | (the thing) itself |
| another, different | nuevo | brand new |
| unfortunate | pobre | poor |
| own | propio | proper |
| sheer | puro | pure |
| only | único | unique |
| former, long-standing | viejo | old, aged |
Read more about this topic: Spanish Adjectives
Famous quotes containing the words change and/or meaning:
“Women find ways to give sense and meaning to daily life—ways to be useful in the community, to keep mind active and soul growing even while they change diapers and cook vegetables.”
—Lillian Breslow Rubin (20th century)
“Out in Hollywood, where the streets are paved with Goldwyn, the word “sophisticate” means, very simply, “obscene.” A sophisticated story is a dirty story. Some of that meaning was wafted eastward and got itself mixed up into the present definition. So that a “sophisticate” means: one who dwells in a tower made of a DuPont substitute for ivory and holds a glass of flat champagne in one hand and an album of dirty post cards in the other.”
—Dorothy Parker (1893–1967)