alta (tall — feminine singular)
alta is the feminine singular form of alto (tall, in height). Like all -o adjectives, it has 4 forms that agree with the noun’s gender and number.
The alto/a paradigm — all 4 forms
| Singular | Plural | |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | alto | altos |
| Feminine | alta | altas |
| Form | Spanish | Example noun | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Masc. sg. | alto | un hombre alto | a tall man |
| Fem. sg. | alta | una mujer alta | a tall woman |
| Masc. pl. | altos | unos edificios altos | some tall buildings |
| Fem. pl. | altas | unas montañas altas | some tall mountains |
Antonym: bajo/baja/bajos/bajas (short, in height) — same 4-form pattern.
Position
Like most descriptive adjectives, alto/a goes after the noun by default — there is no shortened or before-noun form.
| Spanish | Word-by-word | English |
|---|---|---|
| una mujer alta | a woman tall | a tall woman |
| un edificio alto | a building tall | a tall building |
| unas jugadoras altas | some players tall | some tall players |
ser vs estar with alto/a
Height is treated as an inherent, defining physical trait, so alto/a normally pairs with ser, not estar.
| Spanish | English | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mi hermana es alta. | My sister is tall. | height = a lasting physical trait, takes ser |
| ❌ Mi hermana está alta. | (not used for height) | estar would only fit a temporary reading, which doesn’t apply to height |
See Ser vs Estar for the full permanent-vs-temporary system.
Examples (alta — feminine singular)
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Mi hermana es muy alta. | My sister is very tall. |
| La torre alta del centro se ve desde aquí. | The tall tower downtown can be seen from here. |
| Necesito una silla más alta para la mesa. | I need a taller chair for the table. |
| Ella es la chica más alta de la clase. | She’s the tallest girl in the class. |
| Vive en una casa con una puerta muy alta. | She lives in a house with a very tall door. |
| La montaña más alta de España está en Tenerife. | The tallest mountain in Spain is in Tenerife. |
| Compramos una planta alta para el salón. | We bought a tall plant for the living room. |
| La jugadora alta metió la canasta fácilmente. | The tall player made the basket easily. |
| Esa ventana alta deja entrar mucha luz. | That tall window lets in a lot of light. |
| Mi abuela era alta cuando era joven. | My grandmother was tall when she was young. |
Common mistakes
- ❌ la mujer alto → ✅ la mujer alta — the adjective must agree with the feminine noun mujer
- ❌ las montañas alta → ✅ las montañas altas — plural noun requires the plural adjective form
- ❌ una alta mujer → ✅ una mujer alta — descriptive adjectives like alto/a go after the noun, not before
- ❌ Ella está alta (describing her height) → ✅ Ella es alta — height uses ser, not estar
Summary
- alta = feminine singular of alto (tall); full paradigm: alto / alta / altos / altas
- Goes after the noun; no shortened before-noun form
- Pairs with ser, since height is a defining physical trait, not a temporary state
See also: Adjectives — full agreement rules and English contrast.
See also: Adjective Patterns — alto/a alongside other size adjectives.
See also: Ser vs Estar — why height takes ser.