Temporary and permanent adjectives to describe a thing in Spanish

Now we are going to see them back, temporary and permanent adjectives, and, we are going to check if they can actually be used in a temporary idea.

Once we have it all explained, let’s see the most common adjectives to describe the characteristics of a thing :

♣ Note:

1. BONITO; a thing can be permanently beautiful, and, temporary as we have explained.
2. FEO; a thing can be permanently beautiful, and, temporary as we have explained.
3. GRANDE; we are going to use big only for describing a thing’s permanent characteristic; so, we won’t use this adjective in a temporary way. To be big temporarily is possible, especially now with all those future technological things, but, we will use it in a permanent way always.
4. PEQUEÑO; we are going to use small only for describing a thing’s permanent characteristic; so, we won’t use this adjective in a temporary way. To be small temporarily is possible, but, we will use it in a permanent way always.
5. LARGO; we are going to use long only for describing a thing’s permanent characteristic; so, we won’t use this adjective in a temporary way. To be long temporarily is possible, but, we will use it in a permanent way always.
6. CORTO; we are going to use short only for describing a thing’s permanent characteristic; so, we won’t use this adjective in a temporary way. To be short temporarily is possible, but, we will use it in a permanent way always.
7. NUEVO; it is an adjective that can be used easily in a permanent/temporary expression. A thing can be new and be part of its characteristics, or, it can be new in a temporary expression, which means that it’s not a new thing, but looks new.
8. VIEJO; it is an adjective that can be used easily in a permanent/temporary expression. A thing can be old and be part of its characteristics, or, it can be old in a temporary expression, which means that it’s not an old thing, but looks old.
9. ANTIGUO; it is an adjective that can be used easily in a permanent/temporary expression. A thing can be antique and be part of its characteristics, or, it can be antique in a temporary expression, which means that it’s not an old thing, but looks old.
10. CÓMODO; we are going to use comfortable for describing a thing’s permanent characteristic; so, we won’t use this adjective in a temporary way. To be comfortable temporarily is possible, but, we will use it in a permanent way always.
11. INCÓMODO; we are going to use uncomfortable for describing a thing’s permanent characteristic; so we won’t use this adjective in a temporary way. To be uncomfortable temporarily is possible, but we will use it in a permanent way always.
12. LIMPIO; it is an adjective that can be easily used in a permanent/temporary expression. A thing can be clean and be part of its characteristics, or, it can be clean in a temporary expression, which means that it’s not always clean. As we said, we will explain that further on this section.
13. SUCIO; it is an adjective that can be used easily in a permanent/temporary expression. A thing can be dirty and be part of its characteristics, or, it can be dirty in a temporary expression, which means that it’s not always dirty. As we said, we will explain that further on.
14. REDONDO; we are going to use round for describing a thing’s permanent characteristic; so, we won’t use this adjective in a temporary way. To be round temporarily is possible, but, we will use it in a permanent way always.
15. CUADRADO; we are going to use square for describing a thing’s permanent characteristic; so, we won’t use this adjective in a temporary way. To be square temporarily is possible, but, we will use it in a permanent way always.
16. NOISY; we are going to use noisy for describing a thing’s permanent characteristic; so, we won’t use this adjective in a temporary way. To be noisy temporarily is possible, but, we will use it in a permanent way always.
17. SILENT; we are going to use silent for describing a thing’s permanent characteristic; so, we won’t use this adjective in a temporary way. To be silent temporarily is possible, but, we will use it in a permanent way always.
18. MODERNO; we are going to use modern for describing a thing’s permanent characteristic; so, we won’t use this adjective in a temporary way. To be modern temporarily is possible, but, we will use it in a permanent way always.
19. ALTO; we are going to use high for describing a thing’s permanent characteristic; so, we won’t use this adjective in a temporary way. To be high temporarily is possible, but, we will use it in a permanent way always.
20. BAJO; we are going to use low for describing a thing’s permanent characteristic; so, we won’t use this adjective in a temporary way. To be low temporarily is possible, but, we will use it in a permanent way always.

Now, let’s see if the description of the color of a thing can be temporary and permanent. What do you think? I guess you already know that, of course is possible thinking of SER/ESTAR and their temporary/permanent idea:

¿CÓMO ES  TU CLASE?

HOW IS YOUR CLASSROOM?

LA  CLASE ESTÁ NEGRA ⇒ CORRECT 

THE CLASS IS BLACK     

(The class temporarily is black)              

LA CLASE ES NEGRA ⇒ CORRECT 

THE CLASS IS BLACK

(A black class)

♣ Note:

1. LA CLASE ESTÁ NEGRA; this is a temporary ESTAR expression, and as we said, tell us that the class temporarily is black, but, it does not mean that it is a black class. May be the walls are super dirty, or, something has happened to the class, but, is temporarily black
2. LA CLASE ES NEGRA; this is a permanent SER expression, and as we said, tell us that the class is a black class, and, this is a characteristic of the class.

◊ Materials (glass, metal, plastic…), won’t be used in a temporary idea:

¿CÓMO ES  TU CLASE?

HOW IS YOUR CLASSROOM?

LA CLASE ESTÁ DE MADERA ⇒ INCORRECT 

THE CLASS IS OF WOOD      

LA CLASE ES DE MADERA ⇒ CORRECT 

THE CLASS IS OF WOOD

(A wooden class)

♣ Note:

1. LA CLASE ESTÁ DE MADERA; this temporary ESTAR expression in material cannot be used. We do not really think that the material that a thing is made out of , can be switched temporarily. Eventually, you can change the material of a thing, but then, it will already be a new characteristic of it, so, it will not be temporary.
2. LA CLASE ES DE MADERA; this is a permanent SER expression, and, as we said, tell us that the class is a wooden class, and, this is a characteristic of the class.

And the adjectives again that we have seen in the previous section:

♣ Note:

1. ABIERTO; the adjective open, is gonna only be used in a temporary form. Probably, you think that a thing can be permanently opened, but, even so, we are going to use only the temporary expression with ESTAR
2. CERRADO;  the adjective closed is gonna only be used in a temporary form. Probably, you think that a thing can be permanently closed, but, even so, we are going to use only this expression with ESTAR.
3. ROTO; the adjective broken, is gonna only be used in a temporary form. Probably, you think that a thing can be permanently broken as we are ;), but, even so, we are going to use only this expression with ESTAR.
4. LIMPIO;  as we already explained, is an adjective that can be easily used in a permanent/temporary expression. A thing can be clean and be part of its characteristics, or, it can be clean in a temporary expression, which means that it’s not always clean. 
5. SUCIO; as we already explained,  is an adjective that can be used easily in a permanent/temporary expression. A thing can be dirty and be part of its characteristics, or, it can be dirty in a temporary expression, which means that it’s not always dirty.
6. MOJADO; the adjective wet is gonna only be used in a temporary form. Probably, you think that a thing can be permanently wet, but, even so, we are going to use only this expression with ESTAR.
7. SECO; the adjective dry is gonna only be used in a temporary form. Probably you think that a thing can be permanently dry, like a person who never takes a shower, but even so, we are going to use only this expression with ESTAR.
8. VACÍO; the adjective empty is gonna only be used in a temporary form. Probably you think that a thing can be permanently empty like a useless swimming pool,  but even so, we are going to use only this expression with ESTAR.
9. LLENO; the adjective full is gonna only be used in a temporary form. Probably you think that a thing can be permanently full like a useful swimming-pool ;), but even so, we are going to use only this expression with ESTAR.
10. ORDENADO; it is an adjective that can be easily used in a permanent/temporary expression. A thing can be organized/ordered and be part of its characteristics, or, it can be organized in a temporary expression, which means that it’s not always organized. 
11. DESORGANIZADO;  it is an adjective that can be easily used in a permanent/temporary expression. A thing can be a mess and be part of its characteristics, or, it can be disorganized in a temporary expression, which means that it’s not always organized.