A2 (Elementary)Lesson 8: Noun Phrase Expansion
Adjectives normally agree with the noun in gender and number. This is one of the main patterns that shapes the noun phrase in Portuguese.
Adjectives usually agree in gender and number
-o/-a adjectives change more
-e and consonant adjectives often change only in number
noun + adjective / article + noun + adjective
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Match the adjective with the noun: "casa bonita", "casas bonitas", "menino feliz", "meninos felizes".
Adjectives ending in -o / -a usually change for gender and number.
Many adjectives ending in -e or a consonant keep the same gender form and only change for number: "grande/grandes", "feliz/felizes".
Agreement happens with one noun, several nouns, or a whole noun phrase.
Color words sometimes behave differently depending on the type of color expression.
After more than one noun, plural agreement is the neutral choice.
| Step | Rule |
|---|
| Portuguese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| uma casa bonita | a beautiful house |
| duas casas bonitas | two beautiful houses |
| um problema grande | a big problem |
| problemas grandes | big problems |
| meninos felizes | happy boys |
| casas bonitas | beautiful houses |
| uma amiga bonita | a beautiful friend |
Some borrowed or fixed color expressions may stay unchanged.
Collective or mixed groups still trigger plural agreement in the adjective.
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