22 English Adjectives Every Beginner Should Know

Starting to learn a new language is exciting, even though it might not always be easy. We want to practice and say all kinds of things, but we feel like we’re missing the words and don’t know where to start. If that’s how you feel, you’ll surely find this list of the 22 most common English adjectives in everyday conversations useful.

There are many kinds of adjectives, but this list focuses on qualifying adjectives, which let us talk about the qualities or characteristics of a noun. For example, This film is bad. With these adjectives, you can express how you’re feeling, give your opinion on something, talk about time and describe objects or people.

Before moving on to the list, you should know three very important things about adjectives in English:

When they accompany a noun, adjectives always come before the noun: They have a small house.
When they’re used with a verb like to be, they come after the verb: The hotel is cheap.
Adjectives in English don’t have a grammatical gender or number, meaning that they don’t change based on the noun they describe. For example, He is young and They are young.

The 22 Most Common English Adjectives

1. Good

This coffee is good.
I am good.

2. Big

This shirt is very big.

3. Small

He wants a small sandwich.

4. Hot

The tea is hot.
It is hot today.

5. Cold

The food is cold.
I am cold.

6. Expensive

The supermarket is expensive.

7. Difficult

This game is difficult, I don’t understand the rules.

8. Easy

These exercises are very easy.

9. Free

Are you free on Friday?
There is free Wi-Fi in the coffee shop.

10. Open

Are there any open restaurants now?

11. Closed

All the shops are closed until tomorrow.

12. Sick

They are sick today.

13. Nice

My colleagues are nice.
Your apartment is very nice.

14. Hungry

I am hungry, let’s go eat something.

15. Late

They are late for the meeting.

16. Right

Do you know the right answer?
You are right.

17. Happy

We are happy to be here.

18. New

Do you like my new jacket?

19. Old

We live in an old building.
She is 26 years old.

20. Tall

My sister is tall.

21. Ready

Are you ready to go?

22. Far

The park is far from here, let’s take the subway.

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