How to describe things in Spanish
Don't know the word? Describe it: its shape, size, colour, material and what it's used for (sirve para), or what it's like (es como).
Taught in: A1.1 Week 4: Descriptions
At a glance
Es una cosa + size/shape + colour + de + material + que sirve para + infinitive
Adjectives agree: una cosa redonda; Materials take no article: de madera
Ask for help
Busco algo que...
Busco algo que sirva para abrir botellas.
I'm looking for something that's used to open bottles.
Describe it
Es una cosa...
Es una cosa pequeña, de metal, con una espiral.
It's a small, metal thing with a spiral.
Compare it
Es como...
Es como un destornillador, pero con una espiral.
It's like a screwdriver, but with a spiral.
The describing toolkit
You're in a shop in Madrid and need a corkscrew, but you don't know the Spanish word. So you describe it. Talking around a word you don't know is called circumlocution, and it works in shops, pharmacies, restaurants and anywhere your vocabulary runs out. Remember that adjectives agree with the noun they describe (see noun-adjective agreement).
Asking for help
Start by signalling that you need help finding or naming something, so the other person knows you're about to describe it.
¿Cómo se dice...? How do you say...? · you know the English word
¿Cómo se llama...? What is it called...? · you can point at or describe something
¿Tiene algo para...? Do you have something for...? · in a shop or pharmacy
Busco algo que... I'm looking for something that... · describing what you need
Necesito una cosa que... I need a thing that... · explaining a specific need
¿Sabe cómo se llama esto? Do you know what this is called? · pointing at something
No sé la palabra, pero... I don't know the word, but... · before describing something
Shape (la forma) and size (el tamaño)
Describe the shape with es or tiene forma de + shape, or use a shape adjective directly.
| Shape | Example |
|---|---|
| redondo/a – round | Es redondo como una pelota |
| cuadrado/a – square | Tiene forma cuadrada |
| rectangular – rectangular | Es rectangular y plano |
| triangular – triangular | Tiene forma triangular |
| ovalado/a – oval | Es ovalado, como un huevo |
| cilíndrico/a – cylindrical | Es cilíndrico y largo |
| plano/a – flat | Es plano y fino |
| alargado/a – elongated | Es alargado y estrecho |
| curvo/a – curved | Tiene una forma curva |
Combine size words to be more precise: Es grande y ancho (it's big and wide).
| General size | Length and height | Width and thickness |
|---|---|---|
| grande – big / large | largo/a – long | ancho/a – wide |
| pequeño/a – small | corto/a – short (length) | estrecho/a – narrow |
| mediano/a – medium | alto/a – tall / high | grueso/a – thick |
| enorme – enormous | bajo/a – short (height) / low | fino/a – thin / fine |
| diminuto/a – tiny |
Colour (el color)
Use es de color + colour, or the colour on its own as an adjective. Most colours agree in gender and number, but some (like naranja, rosa, violeta) don't change. Add claro (light) or oscuro (dark) after the colour: azul claro (light blue), verde oscuro (dark green), rojo oscuro (dark red).
- rojo/a – red
- azul – blue
- verde – green
- amarillo/a – yellow
- naranja – orange
- morado/a – purple
- rosa – pink
- blanco/a – white
- negro/a – black
- gris – grey
- marrón – brown
- dorado/a – gold / golden
- plateado/a – silver
- beige – beige / cream
- transparente – transparent
Material (el material) and texture (la textura)
Use es de + material, with no article after de: es de madera, not es de la madera.
| Material | Example |
|---|---|
| de madera – made of wood | La mesa es de madera |
| de metal – made of metal | Las llaves son de metal |
| de plástico – made of plastic | La botella es de plástico |
| de cristal / de vidrio – made of glass | El vaso es de cristal |
| de tela – made of fabric / cloth | La bolsa es de tela |
| de cuero – made of leather | El cinturón es de cuero |
| de papel – made of paper | El sobre es de papel |
| de goma – made of rubber | Los guantes son de goma |
More materials (9)
| Material | Example |
|---|---|
| de cerámica – made of ceramic | El plato es de cerámica |
| de algodón – made of cotton | La camiseta es de algodón |
| de oro – made of gold | El anillo es de oro |
| de plata – made of silver | La pulsera es de plata |
| de acero – made of steel | La olla es de acero |
| de hierro – made of iron | La puerta es de hierro |
| de piedra – made of stone | La pared es de piedra |
| de lana – made of wool | El jersey es de lana |
| de seda – made of silk | La corbata es de seda |
Texture words (10)
Texture words help when the feel of the object is distinctive. They agree with the noun's gender and number.
| Touch and feel | Hardness and flexibility |
|---|---|
| suave – soft / smooth | duro/a – hard |
| áspero/a – rough | blando/a – soft (not hard) |
| liso/a – smooth / flat | flexible – flexible |
| rugoso/a – bumpy / rough | rígido/a – rigid |
| pegajoso/a – sticky | resbaladizo/a – slippery |
What it's used for (para qué sirve)
Explaining the function is often the key to being understood. Use sirve para, se usa para or es para + infinitive (it's para, not por: see por vs para).
Sirve para + infinitive: Sirve para cortar papel – It's used for cutting paper
Se usa para + infinitive: Se usa para abrir botellas – It's used for opening bottles
Es para + infinitive: Es para limpiar los platos – It's for cleaning the dishes
Sirve para medir la temperatura – It's used for measuring temperature
Se usa para proteger las manos – It's used to protect your hands
Es para guardar la comida – It's for storing food
Sirve para sujetar papeles – It's used for holding papers together
Where you find it (dónde se encuentra)
Sometimes saying where you find something is enough for the other person to understand.
Se encuentra en...: Se encuentra en la cocina – It's found in the kitchen
Está en...: Normalmente está en el baño – It's usually in the bathroom
Lo/La puedes encontrar en...: Lo puedes encontrar en una ferretería – You can find it at a hardware shop
Se vende en...: Se vende en la farmacia – It's sold at the pharmacy
Lo/La usan en...: Lo usan en los hospitales – They use it in hospitals
What it's similar to
When all else fails, compare it to something the listener knows. This works well for unusual or specialised objects.
Es como un/una... (it's like a...): Es como un cuchillo grande – It's like a big knife
Se parece a... (it looks like...): Se parece a una cuchara, pero es plana – It looks like a spoon, but flat
Es parecido/a a... (it's similar to...): Es parecido a un tenedor – It's similar to a fork
Es una especie de... (it's a kind of...): Es una especie de bolsa – It's a kind of bag
Es como... pero... (it's like... but...): Es como unas tijeras, pero más grande – It's like scissors, but bigger
Putting it all together
Es una cosa + [shape/size] + [colour] + de [material] + que sirve para [function]
The more details you give, the easier it is for the other person to understand what you need.
A stapler (una grapadora): Es una cosa pequeña, de metal y plástico, que sirve para sujetar papeles. Se usa en la oficina. It's a small thing, made of metal and plastic, that's used for holding papers together. You use it in the office.
A colander (un escurridor / un colador): Es como un bol grande, de plástico o metal, con muchos agujeros pequeños. Sirve para escurrir la pasta o lavar verduras. It's like a big bowl, made of plastic or metal, with lots of small holes. It's used for draining pasta or washing vegetables.
A plunger (un desatascador): Es una cosa con un palo largo de madera y una parte redonda de goma en un extremo. Se usa para desatascar el inodoro. Se vende en una ferretería. It's a thing with a long wooden stick and a round rubber part on one end. It's used for unblocking the toilet. It's sold at a hardware shop.
In real life
1. At the pharmacy
Medicine: Necesito algo para el dolor de cabeza – I need something for a headache
Sunburn cream: Busco una crema para las quemaduras del sol – I'm looking for a cream for sunburn
Cough medicine: ¿Tiene algo que sirva para la tos? Do you have something for a cough?
Plasters: Necesito unas tiras pequeñas que se pegan a la piel para cubrir heridas – I need small strips that stick to the skin to cover wounds
2. At a hardware shop
Screwdriver: Busco una herramienta que sirva para apretar tornillos – I'm looking for a tool used for tightening screws
Tape measure: Necesito algo largo y flexible para medir cosas – I need something long and flexible for measuring things
Glue: ¿Tiene una cosa que pegue cosas? Es líquida y transparente. Do you have a thing that sticks things together? It's liquid and transparent.
Saw blade: Busco algo de metal, fino y plano, que sirva para cortar madera – I'm looking for something metal, thin and flat, used for cutting wood
3. In a restaurant
Wet wipe: ¿Tiene algo para limpiar las manos? Como una toallita húmeda. Do you have something to clean hands? Like a wet wipe.
Corkscrew: Necesito la cosa que se usa para abrir las botellas de vino – I need the thing used for opening wine bottles
Sauce bowl: ¿Me puede traer un recipiente pequeño para la salsa? Can you bring me a small container for the sauce?
Napkin: Busco la cosa de papel que se pone en las piernas para no mancharse – I'm looking for the paper thing you put on your legs to not stain yourself
4. At a shop
Tote bag: Busco una bolsa grande de tela para llevar cosas – I'm looking for a large fabric bag to carry things
Keyring: ¿Tiene algo redondo, de metal, que se ponga en las llaves? Do you have something round, metal, that goes on keys?
Phone case: Necesito algo para proteger el móvil, es como una funda de plástico – I need something to protect my mobile, like a plastic case
Mouse pad: Busco una cosa plana y rectangular que sirva para apoyar el ratón del ordenador – I'm looking for a flat, rectangular thing used to rest the computer mouse on
5. Objects described with the formula
Corkscrew (sacacorchos): Es una cosa pequeña de metal con una espiral que sirve para abrir botellas de vino – A small metal thing with a spiral used to open wine bottles
Bin (cubo de basura): Es un recipiente grande de plástico con una tapa que sirve para guardar basura – A large plastic container with a lid used for storing rubbish
Plate (plato): Es una cosa plana y redonda de cerámica que se usa para comer – A flat, round ceramic thing you use for eating
Hose (manguera): Es un tubo largo y flexible de goma que sirve para regar el jardín – A long, flexible rubber tube used for watering the garden
Common mistakes
Most shape, size and texture adjectives change with the noun's gender (un plato redondo, una mesa redonda); adjectives ending in -e or a consonant don't (un coche grande, una casa grande). Cosa is feminine: see gender of nouns.
Not this (incorrect): Es hecho de madera
But this (correct): Es de madera / Está hecho de madera. Use "es de" for material, or "está hecho de" (with estar, not ser) to say "it's made of"
Not this (incorrect): Es de la madera
But this (correct): Es de madera. Don't use an article after "de" when describing material - just say "de madera", "de metal", etc.
Not this (incorrect): Es un cosa redondo
But this (correct): Es una cosa redonda. "Cosa" is feminine, so use "una" and "redonda" - adjectives must agree in gender
Not this (incorrect): Sirve por cortar
But this (correct): Sirve para cortar. Use "para" (not "por") when explaining purpose or function
Quick check
8 questions1. You're at a pharmacy and need plasters. How would you start your request?
When you don't know the word, describe what you need: '¿Tiene algo para cubrir heridas pequeñas?' (Do you have something for covering small wounds?)
2. How do you say 'It's made of wood' in Spanish?
For materials, use 'es de + material' without an article. The correct answer is 'es de madera'.
3. Which phrase correctly explains what a tool is used for?
Use 'sirve para + infinitive' to explain function. 'Para' (not 'por') is used for purpose.
4. Someone describes: 'Es una cosa redonda, plana, de cerámica, que se usa para comer.' What is it?
Round (redonda), flat (plana), ceramic (de cerámica), used for eating - this describes a plate (un plato).
5. How would you describe the colour 'light blue'?
Use 'claro' (light) or 'oscuro' (dark) after the colour: 'azul claro' = light blue.
6. Which sentence correctly uses a comparison to describe something unknown?
Use 'es como un/una...' (without extra prepositions). Adding 'pero...' helps distinguish it: 'Es como un cuchillo, pero más pequeño.'
7. What's the difference between 'suave' and 'blando'?
'Suave' is about surface feel (smooth/soft to touch), while 'blando' means soft as in not hard (opposite of 'duro').
8. You want to say 'It's found in the kitchen.' Which is correct?
'Se encuentra en la cocina' is the correct, natural way to say 'It's found in the kitchen' using the reflexive construction.
Test your ability to describe things in Spanish.
Going further
Es como or se parece a?
Es como or se parece a?
Both can mean "it's like", but they're used slightly differently. Es como is a general comparison of function or concept: Es como unas tijeras, pero más grande (it's like scissors, but bigger). Se parece a is about how it looks: Se parece a un bolígrafo, pero es más grueso (it looks like a pen, but it's thicker). For más grande and más grueso, see comparisons.