# Adjectives that change meaning by position

> id: grammar.adjectives.position-meaning-change · category: grammar · depth: standard · levels: B1 · review: internally_reviewed

**Summary.** Un viejo amigo (longtime friend) vs un amigo viejo (elderly); un gran libro (great) vs un libro grande (big); pobre, único, mismo, antiguo, cierto, nuevo all shift.

A set of adjectives changes meaning depending on whether it comes before or after the noun. Before the noun the sense is usually figurative or evaluative; after the noun it's literal and classifying.

The key pairs (before / after): gran vs grande ('great' / 'big'), viejo ('longtime' / 'elderly'), pobre ('pitiable' / 'penniless'), único ('only' / 'unique'), antiguo ('former' / 'ancient'), nuevo ('another, newly acquired' / 'brand-new'), cierto ('a certain' / 'true'), mismo ('same' / '-self'), puro ('sheer' / 'pure'), medio ('half' / 'average').

So un viejo amigo is a friend of long standing, while un amigo viejo is an elderly friend; un gran libro is a great book, un libro grande a big one; el mismo día 'the same day' but el día mismo 'the very day'. When in doubt, the post-noun position gives the plain, literal meaning.

## Examples
- Es un viejo cliente de la casa. — He's a longtime client of the firm.
- Compró un auto nuevo... bueno, un nuevo auto usado. — He bought a brand-new car... well, another used car.
- Es un viejo amigo, aunque no es un hombre viejo. — He's an old friend, though he isn't an old man.

Related: grammar.adjectives.position

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