Describing a friend or colleague in English is much easier when you know the words for character. Here are 14 common adjectives, positive and negative, with meanings and synonyms.
Positive and negative traits
- He is kind. He always helps his neighbors.kind — warm and considerate; synonym: caring.
- She is generous. She shares everything.generous — willing to give time, money or help; opposite: selfish.
- Be honest with me.honest — tells the truth; “an honest man” (the h is silent).
- My teacher is very patient.patient — calm when waiting or when things are slow; opposite: impatient.
- He is cheerful in the morning.cheerful — happy and positive; synonym: upbeat.
- She is brave. She isn’t afraid to speak up.brave — ready to face danger or difficulty; synonym: courageous.
- You can rely on him. He is reliable.reliable — you can trust him to do what he promises.
- I’m not lazy, I’m just tired.lazy — doesn’t want to work or make an effort; synonym: idle.
- Don’t be so selfish — share the cake!selfish — thinks only about himself or herself; opposite: generous.
- The waiter was rude to us.rude — not polite; synonym: impolite.
- He is arrogant. He thinks he is always right.arrogant — proud and looks down on others; synonym: conceited.
- She is moody today.moody — her mood changes often; to be in a bad mood.
- He is shy with new people.shy — uncomfortable around strangers; synonym: timid.
- My cat is so stubborn!stubborn — refuses to change its mind; synonym: obstinate.
After be, the adjective stands alone: He is kind. Before a noun, use a or an: He is a kind man, an honest woman.
Many learners translate «симпатичний» as sympathetic, but sympathetic means “feeling sorry for someone”. For a likeable person, say nice or likeable: She’s a nice person. Also, sensible means “having good judgment”, not “sensitive”.
Phrases for conversation
- She’s the kind of person who always helps. — she is someone who is always ready to help.
- He can be a bit moody in the mornings. — he is often in a bad mood before lunch.
- Don’t be so stubborn — just listen to me! — said when someone refuses to change their mind.
- I’m not shy, I’m just quiet. — shy and quiet are not the same thing.
Looking for words to describe appearance too? See Appearance vocabulary: height, hair and face.
Check yourself
Say it in English, then reveal the answer:
1.Say: he is a very honest man.
Answer
He is a very honest man.
2.Say: she is generous and she always helps.
Answer
She is generous and she always helps.
3.Say: don’t be so selfish!
Answer
Don’t be so selfish!
4.Say: she is shy with strangers.
Answer
She is shy with strangers.
Character adjectives stick best when you use them to describe real people. Book a free trial lesson at Slay School and practise them in conversation.
