English –ive → Spanish –ivo / –iva

English –ive adjectives often become –ivo / –iva in Spanish

Spanish adjectives change for gender (-o / -a)

Meaning is usually very close

EnglishSpanish
activeactivo / activa
positivepositivo / positiva
negativenegativo / negativa
creativecreativo / creativa
effectiveefectivo / efectiva
productiveproductivo / productiva
attractiveatractivo / atractiva
expensivecaro / cara (exception)
intensiveintensivo / intensiva
extensiveextensivo / extensiva
progressiveprogresivo / progresiva
aggressiveagresivo / agresiva
sensitivesensible
offensiveofensivo / ofensiva
defensivedefensivo / defensiva
passivepasivo / pasiva
explosiveexplosivo / explosiva
impressiveimpresionante (related form)
destructivedestructivo / destructiva
constructiveconstructivo / constructiva
decisivedecisivo / decisiva
expressiveexpresivo / expresiva
informativeinformativo / informativa
persuasivepersuasivo / persuasiva
communicativecomunicativo / comunicativa
cooperativecooperativo / cooperativa
competitivecompetitivo / competitiva
alternativealternativo / alternativa
relativerelativo / relativa
subjectivesubjetivo / subjetiva
objectiveobjetivo / objetiva
reflectivereflexivo / reflexiva
representativerepresentativo / representativa
preventivepreventivo / preventiva
decorativedecorativo / decorativa
imaginativeimaginativo / imaginativa
initiativeiniciativa (noun form)
narrativenarrativo / narrativa
administrativeadministrativo / administrativa

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