Curiosidade
The English word 'grand' shares the same Latin root as 'grande'.
Gramática essencial
Placement: Adjectives like 'grande' usually come AFTER the noun they describe. For example, 'una casa grande' (a big house).
Tengo un perro grande. (I have a big dog.)
Agreement in gender and number: 'Grande' is a special adjective because it doesn't change for masculine or feminine nouns. However, it does change for singular and plural. So, 'grande' for singular and 'grandes' for plural. For example, 'un coche grande' (a big car) and 'unos coches grandes' (some big cars).
Las ciudades son grandes. (The cities are big.)
Shortening before singular nouns: When 'grande' comes BEFORE a singular noun, it shortens to 'gran'. In this case, 'gran' often means 'great' or 'important' rather than just 'big' in size. For example, 'una gran persona' (a great person).
Él es un gran amigo. (He is a great friend.)
Using 'muy' for 'very': To say 'very big', you use 'muy grande'.
El elefante es muy grande. (The elephant is very big.)
Comparisons: To say 'bigger than', you use 'más grande que'.
Esta manzana es más grande que la otra. (This apple is bigger than the other one.)
Exemplos por nível
La casa es grande.
The house is big.
El perro es grande.
The dog is big.
Ella tiene un coche grande.
She has a big car.
Quiero una pizza grande.
I want a large pizza.
Mi familia es grande.
My family is large.
Este libro es grande.
This book is big.
Necesito una bolsa grande.
I need a large bag.
La ciudad es grande y bonita.
The city is big and beautiful.
¡Qué casa tan grande! Me encanta el espacio.
What a big house! I love the space.
El problema es más grande de lo que pensábamos al principio.
The problem is bigger than we thought at first.
Tiene un corazón muy grande, siempre está ayudando a los demás.
He has a very big heart, he's always helping others.
Necesitamos una mesa más grande para que quepan todos los invitados.
We need a bigger table so all the guests can fit.
Mi sueño es tener un jardín grande con muchas flores y árboles.
My dream is to have a large garden with many flowers and trees.
La diferencia de opinión entre ellos es bastante grande.
The difference in opinion between them is quite large.
Este coche es demasiado grande para aparcar en el centro de la ciudad.
This car is too big to park in the city center.
Siempre hay un gran número de personas en el concierto.
There's always a large number of people at the concert.
Note that 'grande' becomes 'gran' before a singular noun.
La magnitud del desafío era tan grande que requería una colaboración internacional sin precedentes.
The magnitude of the challenge was so big that it required unprecedented international collaboration.
Here 'grande' modifies 'magnitud' (magnitude), emphasizing the scale of the challenge.
A pesar de la gran adversidad, el espíritu humano demostró ser más grande que cualquier obstáculo.
Despite the great adversity, the human spirit proved to be larger than any obstacle.
'Grande' here implies a greater quality or capacity, often used comparatively.
La empresa logró una expansión tan grande en tan poco tiempo que sorprendió a los analistas del mercado.
The company achieved such a large expansion in such a short time that it surprised market analysts.
Used with 'tan... que' (so... that) to express a consequence of the large expansion.
Su legado cultural es tan grande que su influencia perdura a través de los siglos.
His cultural legacy is so great that its influence endures through the centuries.
Describes an abstract concept ('legado cultural') as having significant impact.
El problema no es grande en sí mismo, sino en la manera en que se gestiona la crisis.
The problem is not big in itself, but in the way the crisis is managed.
Contrasting 'grande' (big) with the underlying issue of crisis management.
La decisión de invertir una suma tan grande de capital conlleva riesgos considerables.
The decision to invest such a large sum of capital carries considerable risks.
Modifies 'suma de capital' (sum of capital), indicating a significant amount.
La brecha entre las expectativas y la realidad era tan grande que generó una profunda desilusión.
The gap between expectations and reality was so big that it generated deep disappointment.
'Brecha' (gap) is described as 'grande' to convey its significant size.
La reputación de la institución era tan grande que atraía a los mejores talentos de todo el mundo.
The institution's reputation was so great that it attracted the best talents from all over the world.
Refers to 'reputación' (reputation) as having considerable positive standing.
Padrões gramaticais
Expressões idiomáticas
"Más grande que la vida"
Larger than life
El actor era más grande que la vida en el escenario. (The actor was larger than life on stage.)
neutral"Hacerse grande"
To grow up
Mi hijo se está haciendo grande muy rápido. (My son is growing up very fast.)
neutral"A lo grande"
In a big way, lavishly
Celebraron su aniversario a lo grande. (They celebrated their anniversary in a big way.)
neutral"De capa caída y alma grande"
Down but not out, with a brave spirit
Aunque perdió, se mantuvo de capa caída y alma grande. (Although he lost, he remained down but not out.)
neutral"Ser un pez gordo"
To be a big shot, an important person
Es un pez gordo en la empresa. (He's a big shot in the company.)
informal"Pasar un buen rato"
To have a great time (literally 'to pass a big time')
Pasamos un buen rato en la fiesta. (We had a great time at the party.)
neutral"La grande"
The main event, the big one
Esta noche es la grande, el partido final. (Tonight is the big one, the final game.)
informal"A grandes rasgos"
Broadly speaking, in general terms
A grandes rasgos, el plan es bueno. (Broadly speaking, the plan is good.)
neutral"Tener la grande"
To hit the jackpot, to be very lucky (often used in gambling contexts)
¡Tuvo la grande y ganó mucho dinero! (He hit the jackpot and won a lot of money!)
informal"Hacerse el grande"
To act tough, to put on a show of bravery (often ironically)
No te hagas el grande, sabemos que tienes miedo. (Don't act tough, we know you're scared.)
informalPadrões de frases
El [noun] es grande.
El perro es grande. (The dog is big.)
La [noun] es grande.
La casa es grande. (The house is big.)
Los [noun, plural] son grandes.
Los coches son grandes. (The cars are big.)
Las [noun, plural] son grandes.
Las manzanas son grandes. (The apples are big.)
Tengo un/una [noun] grande.
Tengo una mochila grande. (I have a big backpack.)
Quiero un/una [noun] grande.
Quiero un café grande. (I want a large coffee.)
¿Es [noun] grande?
¿Es la mesa grande? (Is the table big?)
No es [noun] grande.
No es una casa grande. (It's not a big house.)
Dicas
Basic Meaning
The most common meaning of grande is big or large. Think of something physically big.
Placement is Key
When grande means big or large, it usually comes after the noun it describes. For example, 'una casa grande' (a big house).
Shortened Form: Gran
When grande comes before a singular noun, it shortens to gran. This often changes its meaning to great. For instance, 'un gran libro' (a great book).
Grande vs. Gran
Remember: grande after the noun = big/large. Gran before the noun = great. This is a common point of confusion for English speakers.
Use with People
You can use grande to describe a tall or large-framed person. 'Es un hombre grande' (He is a big/tall man).
Opposite: Pequeño
The opposite of grande (big/large) is pequeño, meaning small. It's useful to learn antonyms together.
Singular vs. Plural
Like most Spanish adjectives, grande changes for plural nouns: grandes. 'Los perros grandes' (the big dogs).
No Gender Change
Grande is one of those adjectives that doesn't change for gender. It's grande for both masculine and feminine nouns. 'La mesa grande' (the big table), 'El coche grande' (the big car).
Common Phrases
You'll hear '¡Qué grande!' which means How big! or sometimes How great! depending on context. For example, seeing a large building: '¡Qué grande!'
Beyond Physical Size
Sometimes grande can refer to importance or age. For example, 'una gran diferencia' (a big/great difference) or 'Mi hermano es más grande' (My brother is older).
Origem da palavra
Latin 'grandis'
Significado original: Large, great
Indo-European, Italic, RomanceContexto cultural
When describing size in Spanish, 'grande' is straightforward. It's often used literally for physical size, but can also convey importance or intensity, similar to 'great' in English. For instance, 'una gran fiesta' means 'a great party'.
Teste-se 18 perguntas
Mi casa es muy ______.
The sentence means 'My house is very big.' 'Grande' means big or large.
Ella tiene un perro ______.
The sentence means 'She has a large dog.' 'Grande' means big or large.
Quiero comprar un coche ______.
The sentence means 'I want to buy a big car.' 'Grande' means big or large.
La ciudad es muy ______ y tiene muchos edificios altos.
The sentence means 'The city is very big and has many tall buildings.' 'Grande' means big or large.
Necesito una mesa ______ para mi comedor.
The sentence means 'I need a large table for my dining room.' 'Grande' means big or large.
El océano es ______ e impresionante.
The sentence means 'The ocean is big and impressive.' 'Grande' means big or large.
Describe your ideal home using 'grande' at least once. (e.g., 'Mi casa ideal es grande y tiene un jardín.')
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Mi casa ideal es grande y luminosa. Tiene una cocina grande y tres dormitorios. Me gusta una casa grande para mi familia.
Write three sentences describing big things you see in your city or town, using 'grande' in each sentence. (e.g., 'El parque de mi ciudad es muy grande.')
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
En mi ciudad, el centro comercial es muy grande. También hay un río grande que cruza la ciudad. La plaza principal es grande y bonita.
Imagine you are describing a big animal. Write three sentences using 'grande' to describe it. (e.g., 'El elefante es un animal muy grande.')
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
El oso es un animal grande y fuerte. Tiene garras grandes y le gusta comer miel. Es un animal muy grande y vive en el bosque.
¿Qué tipo de manzana quiere María?
Read this passage:
María va al mercado. Ella necesita comprar frutas y verduras. Quiere una manzana grande y tres plátanos. También busca una calabaza grande para hacer sopa. Le gusta cocinar con ingredientes grandes y frescos.
¿Qué tipo de manzana quiere María?
El pasaje dice: 'Quiere una manzana grande'.
El pasaje dice: 'Quiere una manzana grande'.
¿Cómo se llama el perro de Juan?
Read this passage:
Mi amigo Juan tiene un perro muy grande. Su nombre es Max. Max es tan grande que parece un oso pequeño. Le gusta correr en el parque y jugar con otros perros. Aunque es grande, es muy amigable.
¿Cómo se llama el perro de Juan?
El pasaje indica: 'Su nombre es Max'.
El pasaje indica: 'Su nombre es Max'.
¿Cómo es la ciudad de Madrid?
Read this passage:
La ciudad de Madrid es muy grande y tiene muchos edificios altos. El Museo del Prado es un edificio grande y famoso. Millones de personas visitan Madrid cada año para ver sus lugares grandes e históricos. Es una ciudad con una gran historia.
¿Cómo es la ciudad de Madrid?
El pasaje menciona: 'La ciudad de Madrid es muy grande y tiene muchos edificios altos'.
El pasaje menciona: 'La ciudad de Madrid es muy grande y tiene muchos edificios altos'.
This sentence describes the scale of a challenge, using 'grande' in its typical sense of 'large' or 'great' in terms of difficulty.
Here, 'gran' (an apocopated form of 'grande') is used to describe a person's significant impact or importance, meaning 'great' or 'influential'.
This sentence uses 'grande' to convey a significant contrast or disparity between two opinions.
/ 18 correct
Perfect score!
Basic Meaning
The most common meaning of grande is big or large. Think of something physically big.
Placement is Key
When grande means big or large, it usually comes after the noun it describes. For example, 'una casa grande' (a big house).
Shortened Form: Gran
When grande comes before a singular noun, it shortens to gran. This often changes its meaning to great. For instance, 'un gran libro' (a great book).
Grande vs. Gran
Remember: grande after the noun = big/large. Gran before the noun = great. This is a common point of confusion for English speakers.
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