Spanish
Grade 9
15 min
¿Cómo es tu...? (What is your... like?)
Learn to ask and answer questions about descriptions using '¿Cómo es?'.
What you'll learn
- Identify 3 out of 4 colors (rojo, azul, amarillo, verde) when described in Spanish using "¿Cómo es tu...?"
- Describe an object (e.g., toy, animal) using one color word in Spanish with 80% accuracy.
- Point to the correct picture of an object when asked "¿Cómo es tu...?" followed by a color description in Spanish, with 75% accuracy.
Tutorial Preview
1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Formulate questions using '¿Cómo es tu...?' and '¿Cómo son tus...?' to ask about the personality and physical traits of family members.
Respond to descriptive questions using the verb 'ser' with a wide range of adjectives.
Correctly apply gender and number agreement for adjectives describing singular and plural family members (e.g., 'Mi padre es alto' vs. 'Mis hermanas son altas').
Construct complex sentences to elaborate on descriptions, using conjunctions like 'pero,' 'y,' and 'porque.'
Differentiate between 'ser' (for inherent characteristics) and 'estar' (for temporary states) when describing people.
Use intensifiers like 'muy,' 'bastante,&...
2
Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
¿Cómo es...?The fundamental question used to ask for a description of a person's or thing's inherent characteristics, such as personality or physical appearance.¿Cómo es tu abuela? (What is your grandmother like?)
Adjetivos DescriptivosWords that describe the qualities or states of being of nouns. In Spanish, they must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.Mi hermano es `inteligente` y mis primas son `divertidas`.
Concordancia de Género y NúmeroThe grammatical rule that adjectives must match the gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) of the noun they describe.El chico `alto` (masculine, singular) vs. Las chicas `altas` (feminine, plural).
Verbo 'Ser'The verb 'to be' used for permanent or long-lasting attr...
3
Grammar Rules & Patterns
The '¿Cómo es/son...?' Formula
¿Cómo es + tu + [singular noun]?
¿Cómo son + tus + [plural noun]?
Use '¿Cómo es...?' with the verb 'ser' conjugated as 'es' for a single person (e.g., tu padre, mi hermana). Use '¿Cómo son...?' with the verb 'ser' conjugated as 'son' for multiple people (e.g., tus abuelos, mis primas).
Adjective Agreement Rule
Noun (gender/number) + ser (conjugated) + Adjective (matching gender/number)
The ending of the adjective must change to match the noun. Masculine adjectives often end in -o (plural -os), feminine in -a (plural -as). Adjectives ending in -e or a consonant often have one form for singular, and add -s/-es for plural.
Using 'Ser' for Descriptions
Use 's...
4 more steps in this tutorial
Sign up free to access the complete tutorial with worked examples and practice.
Sign Up Free to ContinueSample Practice Questions
Challenging
Which of the following complex sentences is completely free of grammatical errors?
A.Mis hermanas son más altas que yo, pero yo soy más rápido que ellas.
B.Mis tíos son muy generosos, pero a veces está un poco serios.
C.Mi madre es muy inteligente y mi padre es un poco perezosa.
D.¿Cómo son tus primas? Ellas es muy divertidas y simpático.
Challenging
A friend asks, '¿Cómo es tu tío?' Which response provides the most nuanced and grammatically sophisticated description?
A.Mi tío es muy chistoso y es bastante inteligente.
B.Mi tío, que es el hermano de mi madre, es bastante chistoso pero a veces es un poco estricto.
C.Mi tío son chistoso y inteligente.
D.Mi tío está chistoso y es bastante inteligente porque él cuenta chistes.
Challenging
Which of the following statements about the rules for describing people in Spanish is INCORRECT?
A.The verb 'ser' is used for inherent characteristics like personality and physical appearance.
B.Adjectives must agree in both gender and number with the nouns they modify.
C.When describing a mixed-gender group, the feminine plural form of the adjective is used.
D.Intensifiers like 'muy' and 'bastante' are placed before the adjective to modify its meaning.
Want to practice and check your answers?
Sign up to access all questions with instant feedback, explanations, and progress tracking.
Start Practicing FreeMore from Mi Familia y Yo (My Family and Me)
Spanish for other grades
Frequently asked questions
What grade level is "¿Cómo es tu...? (What is your... like?)"?
¿Cómo es tu...? (What is your... like?) is a Grade 9 Spanish lesson on ExcelOS.
What will I learn in ¿Cómo es tu...? (What is your... like?)?
You'll be able to: Identify 3 out of 4 colors (rojo, azul, amarillo, verde) when described in Spanish using "¿Cómo es tu...?"; Describe an object (e.g., toy, animal) using one color word in Spanish with 80% accuracy; Point to the correct picture….
Is "¿Cómo es tu...? (What is your... like?)" free to practice?
Yes. You can read the tutorial preview for free, and signing up for a free ExcelOS account unlocks the full tutorial and all practice questions with instant feedback.
How many practice questions are included with ¿Cómo es tu...? (What is your... like?)?
This lesson includes 25 practice questions across multiple difficulty levels, each with instant feedback and explanations.