The IVE Rule (Major)

This Rule applies to those words in English with two or more syllables that end with the letters

....ive

To translate those words into Spanish we will substitute the English ending with

....ivo

Thus, the English word instructive is the Spanish word instructivo
The next-to-last syllable (the "i") receives stress [see "Accents" Chapter 1].
This is our last Chapter covering the Major Rules!
There is much more in the chapters ahead, but at this point you have learned more than twenty thousand words in Spanish!
As an encouragement, and to show you whatjust this single Rule will teach you, we will set forth many more examples than in the previous chapters. This will give you a visual idea of how much Spanish you have actually learned!
Here are some Examples

The IVE Rule

English Spanish Helpful Reminders
...ive ...ivo
Abortive Abortivo
Abrasive Abrasivo
Abrogative Abrogativo
Abstractive Abstractivo
Abusive Abusivo
Active Activo
Adaptive Adaptivo
Additive Aditivo only 1 D
Adhesive Adhesivo
Adictive Adictivo
Adjective Adjetivo no C
Adoptive Adoptivo
Affirmative Afirmativo only 1 F
Agressive Agresivo only 1 S
Assimilative Asimilativo only 1 S
Attractive Atractivo only 1 T
Benedictive Benedictivo
Calculative Calculativo
Capacitive Capacitivo
Circumspective Circunspectivo N for M
Cohesive Cohesivo
Collective Colectivo only 1 L
Comparative Comparativo
Comprehensive Comprensivo no H, no E
Conclusive Conclusivo
Confirmative Confirmativo
Consecutive Consecutivo
Conservative Conservativo
Contraceptive Contraceptivo
Cooperative Cooperativo
Corroborative Corroborativo
Creative Creativo
Cumulative Cumulativo
Defective Defectivo
Defensive Defensivo
Definitive Definitivo
Demonstrative Demostrativo no N
Derogative Derogativo
Destructive Destructivo
Digestive Digestivo
Diminutive Diminutivo
Directive Directivo
Distinctive Distintivo no C
Effective Efectivo only 1 F
Effusive Efusivo only 1 F
Excessive Excesivo only 1 S
Exclusive Exclusivo
Executive Ejecutivo J for X, quirk #2
Expletive Expletivo
Extensive Extensivo
Festive Festivo
Figurative Figurativo
Formative Formativo
Fugitive Fugitivo
Furtive Furtivo
Gesticulative Gesticulativo
Gramnegative Gramnegativo
Grampositive Grampositivo
Gravitative Gravitativo
Gustative Gustativo
Hydropositive Hidropositivo I for Y
Hypersensitive Hipersensitivo I for Y
Hypertensive Hipertensivo I for Y
Illustrative Ilustrativo only 1 L
Imperative Imperativo
Incentive Incentivo
Initiative Iniciativo C for T
Inovative Inovativo
Intensive Intensivo
Inquisitive Inquisitivo
Instinctive Instintivo no C
Instructive Instructivo
Invasive Invasivo
Judicative Judicativo
Justificative Justificativo
Lacerative Lacerativo
Laxative Laxativo also laxante
Legislative Legislativo
Locomotive Locomotivo the adverb
Memorative Memorativo
Missive Misivo only 1 S
Molestive Molestivo
Native Nativo
Negative Negativo
Obstructive Obstructivo
Offensive Ofensivo only 1 F
Operative Operativo
Pensive Pensativo differnet spelling
Positive Positivo
Preservative Preservativo
Reactive Reactivo
Receptive Receptivo
Respective Respectivo
Responsive Responsivo
Secretive Secretivo
Seductive Seductivo
Selective Selectivo
Significative Significativo
Subversive Subversive
Suggestive Sugestivo only 1 G
Superlative Superlativo
Tentative Tentativo

Because this is the last of the Major Rules, we'll get into more detail. This will give you an even better idea of how many words in Spanish you have just learned.
in addition to the previous examples :

English Spanish Helpful Reminders
Abdicative Abdicativo
Abditive Abditivo
Abirritative Abirritativo
Abjunctive Abjuntivo no C
Ablative Ablativo
Acceptive Aceptivo only 1 C
Accumulative Acumulativo only 1 C
Accusative Acusativo only 1 C
Adjudicative Adjudicativo
Adjunctive Adjuntivo no C
Adjustive Adjustivo
Administrative Administrativo
Admissive Admisivo only 1 S
Admonitive Admonitivo
Adumbrative Adumbrativo
Adventive Adventivo
Adversative Adversativo
Collusive Colusivo only 1 L
Coercive Coercivo
Cognoscitive Cognoscitivo
Cohortative Cohortativo quirk #1
Commiserative Comiserativo only 1 M
Communicative Comunicativo only 1 M
Compelative Compelativo
Compensative Compensativo
Competitive Competitivo
Completive Completivo
Compressive Compresivo only 1 S
Compulsative Compulsativo
Compulsive Compulsivo
Conative Conativo
Concentrative Concentrativo
Conceptive Conceptivo
Concessive Concesivo only 1 S
Conciliative Conciliativo
Concresive Concresivo
Conclusive Conclusivo
Condensative Condensativo
Conductive Conductivo
Conducive Conducivo also conducente
Conflagrative Conflagrativo
Conflictive Conflictivo
Confusive Confusivo
Conglutinative Conglutinativo
Congretive Congretivo
Congressive Congresivo only 1 S
Conjugative Conjugativo
Conjunctive Conjuntivo no C
Connective Conectivo only 1 N
Connotative Conotativo only 1 N
Consolidative Consolidativo
Constitutive Constitutivo
Constrictive Constrictivo
Constructive Constructivo
Consultative Consultativo
Contaminative Contaminativo
Contemplative Contemplativo
Continuative Continuativo
Contractive Contractivo
Convective Convectivo
Conversative Conversativo
Conversive Conversivo
Convulsive Convulsivo
Cooptative Cooptativo
Coordinative Coordinativo
Copulative Copulativo
Corporative Corporativo
Corrective Correctivo
Correlative Correlativo
Dative Dativo
Deceptive Deceptivo
Declarative Declarativo
Decusative Decusativo
Decorative Decorativo
Dedicative Dedicativo
Deductive Deductivo
Defunctive Defuntivo
Degenerative Degenerativo
Degressive Degresivo only 1 S
Deletive Deletivo
Deliberative Deliberativo
Delineative Delineativo
Delusive Delusivo
Demonstrative Demostrativo no N
Denominative Denominativo
Denotative Denotativo
Denunciative Denunciativo
Depletive Depletivo
Depopulative Depopulativo
Deprecative Deprecativo
Depressive Depresivo only 1 S
Depurative Depurativo
Descensive Descensivo
Descriptive Descriptivo
Desiderative Desiderativo
Designative Designativo
Desitive Desitivo
Dessicative Desicativo only 1 S
Elective Electivo
Elusive Elusivo
Enumerative Enumerativo
Estimative Estimativo
Evasive Evasivo
Factive Factivo
Federative Federativo
Fermentative Fermentativo
Fixative Fijativo J for X
Flotative Flotativo
Fluxive Flujivo J for X
Fotive Fotivo
Fricative Fricativo
Fruitive Frutivo no I
Genitive Genitivo quirk #12
Germinative Germinativo quirk #12
Gerundive Gerundivo quirk #12
Hortative Hortativo quirk #1
Humective Humectivo quirk #1
Idiorepulsive Idiorepulsivo
Illative Ilativo only 1 L
Illuminative Iluminativo only 1 L
Imaginative Imaginativo quirk #12
Imitative Imitativo
Impassive Impasivo only 1 S
Impeditive Impeditivo
Impulsive Impulsivo
Imputative Imputativo
Inappreciative Inapreciativo only 1 P
Inapprehensive Inaprensivo only 1 P, no "HE"
Incarnative Incarnativo
Inceptive Inceptivo
Inchoative Incoativo no H
Incitative Incitativo
Inclusive Inclusivo
Incogitative Incogitativo quirk #12
Incommunicative Incomunicativo only 1 M
Incomprehensive Incomprensivo no "HE"
Inconclusive Inconclusivo
Incrassative Incrasativo only 1 S
Indefective Indefectivo
Indescriptive Indescriptivo
Indicative Indicativo
Indictive Indictivo
Indigestive Indigestivo quirk #12
Indiscrimminative Indiscriminativo only 1 M
Indistinctive Indistintivo no C
Inductive Inductivo
Ineffective Inefectivo only 1 F
Inexhaustive Inexhaustivo
Inexplosive Inexplosivo
Infective Infectivo
Infestive Infestivo
Infiltrative Infiltrativo
Infinitive Infinitivo
Infirmative Infirmativo
Inflammative Inflamativo only 1 M
Inflexive Inflexivo
Inflictive Inflictivo
Influencive Influencivo
Influxive Influxivo
Informative Informativo
Infusive Infusivo
Ingestive Ingestivo
Inhabitative Inhabitativo quirk #1
Inhibitive Inhibitivo quirk #1
Inirritative Inirritativo
Inobstrusive Inobstrusivo
Inoculative Inoculativo
Inoffensive Inofensivo only 1 F
Inoperative Inoperativo
Inopressive Inopresivo
Inscriptive Inscriptivo
Insensitive Insensitivo
Insignificative Insignificativo
Insinuative Insinuativo
Inspective Inspectivo
Instigative Instigativo
Instinctive Instintivo no C
Institutive Institutivo
Insusceptive Insusceptivo
Integrative Integrativo
Intellective Intelectivo only 1 L
Intempestive Intempestivo
Intensative Intensativo
Intentive Intentivo
Interactive Interactivo
Interceptive Interceptivo
Interdictive Interdictivo
Intermissive Intermisivo only 1 S
Internecive Internecivo
Interoceptive Interoceptivo
Interpenetrative Interpenetrativo
Interpretive Interpretivo
Interrogative Interrogativo
Interruptive Interruptivo
Intransitive Intransitivo
Introductive Introductivo
Introspective Introspectivo
Introversive Introversivo
Introvertive Introvertivo
Intrusive Intrusivo
Intuitive Intuitivo
Intussusceptive Intususceptivo only 1 S
Invective Invectivo
Inventive Inventivo
Inversive Inversivo
Investigative Investigativo
Irradiative Irradiativo
Irreceptive Irreceptivo
Irreflective Irreflectivo
Irrelative Irrelativo
Irremissive Irremisivo only 1 S
Irrespective Irrespectivo
Irretentive Irretentivo
Irrigative Irrigativo
Irritative Irritativo
Irruptive Irruptivo
Iterative Iterativo
Jurisdictive Jurisdictivo
Jussive Jusivo only 1 S
Lambative Lambativo
Laudative Laudativo
Lenitive Lenitivo
Limitative Limitativo
Liquifactive Liquifactivo
Locative Locativo
Lustrative Lustrativo
Manipulative Manipulativo
Manumotive Manumotivo
Massive Masivo only 1 S
Maturative Maturativo
Mediative Mediativo
Medicative Medicativo
Meditative Meditativo
Meliorative Meliorativo
Mensurative Mensurativo
Ministrative Ministrativo
Mordicative Mordicativo
Motive Motivo
Multiplicative Multiplicativo
Mutative Mutativo
Mutilative Mutilativo
Narrative Narrativo
Nauseative Nauseativo
Negative Negativo
Nominative Nominativo

For English words beginning with the PREFIX "non..." (as in nondefensive), substitute the PREFIX with "in..." for the Spanish translation indefensivo. You can also substitute the English prefix "non" with the Spanish word "no", making two words: No defensivo ("no" of course, means the same in both languages).

English Spanish Helpful Reminders
Nonassertive Inasertivo only 1 S
Nonauthoritative Inautoritativo no H
Noncognitive Incognitivo
Noncollaborative Incolaborativo only 1 L
Noncompetitive Incompetitivo
Nonconnective Inconectivo only 1 N
Nonconsecutive Inconsecutivo
Nonconservative Inconservative
Nonconstructive Inconstructivo
Noncontemplative Incontemplative
Noncooperative Incooperativo
Noncorrective Incorrectivo
Noncorrosive Incorrosivo
Noncreative Increativo
Noncummulative Incomulativo only 1 M
Nondeceptive Indeceptivo
Nondefensive Indefensivo
Nonderivative Inderivativo
Nondestructive Indestructivo
Nondiffractive Indifractivo only 1 F
Nondistinctive Indistintivo no C
Nondistributive Indistributivo
Noneffective Inefectivo only 1 F
Nonelective Inelectivo
Nonexclusive Inexclusivo
Nonexecutive Inejecutivo J for X, quirk #9
Nonexpansive Inexpansivo
Nonexplosive Inexplosivo
Nonfigurative Infigurativo
Nonfricative infricativo
Nongenerative Ingenerativo
Nonimitative Inimitative also Inimitable
Noninclusive Noinclusive No for In
Noninductive Noinductivo No for In
Nonobjective Inobjetivo no C
Nonoperative Inoperativo
Nonproductive Inproductivo
Nonprogressive Inprogresivo only 1 S
Nonprotective Inprotectivo
Nonreactive Inreactivo
Nonrelative Inrelativo
Nonrepresentative Inrepresentativo
Nonreproductive Inreproductivo
Nonrestrictive Inrestrictive
Nonretentive Inretentivo
Nonselective Inselectivo
Nonsensitive Insensitivo
Nonspeculative Inespeculativo
Nonsubmissive Insubmisivo only 1 S
Nonsuccessive Insucesivo only 1 C, only 1 S
Nonvengative Invengativo
Normative Normativo
Notative Notativo
Numerative Numerativo
Nutritive Nutritivo
Objective Objetivo no C
Obliterative Obliverativo
Obstructive Obstructivo
Obvulative Obvulativo
Occasive Ocasivo only 1 C
Occupative Ocupativo only 1 C
Olive [the tree] Olivo
Olive [the color] Oliva
Olive [the fruit] Oliva also aceituna
Ommisive Omisivo only 1 M
Omnispective Omnispectivo
Opiniative Opiniativo
Oppositive Opositivo only 1 P
Oppressive Opresivo only 1 P, only 1 S
Ordinative Ordinativo
Originative Originativo
Oscilative Oscilativo
Ostensive Ostensivo
Ostentive Ostentivo
Oxidative Oxidativo
Palliative Paliativo only 1 L
Partitive Partitivo
Parturitive Parturitivo
Passive Pasivo only 1 S
Pedonotive Pedonotivo
Pejorative Peyorativo Y for J
Pendentive Pendentivo
Penetrative Penetrativo
Percussive Percusivo
Perfective Perfectivo
Perforative Perforativo
Perfusive Perfusivo
Permissive Permisivo only 1 S
Persecutive Persecutivo
Persistive Persistivo
Perspective Perspectiva feminine gender
Perspirative Perspirativo
Persuasive Persuasivo
Perturbative Perturbativo
Philoprogenitive Filoprogenitivo no PH, quirk #5
Photosensitive Fotosensitivo no PH, also fotosensible
Pignorative Pignorativo
Placative Aplacativo
Portentive Portentivo
Possesive Posesivo only 1 S

For English words with the prefix "post...", substitute with "pos.. ." for the Spanish translation.

English Spanish Helpful Reminders
Postoperative Posoperativo
Postpositive Pospositivo
Potestative Potestativo
Precative Precativo
Preceptive Preceptivo
Preclusive Preclusivo
Precursive Precursivo
Predecessive Predecesivo only 1 S
Predestinative Predestinativo
Predicative Predicativo
Predictive Predictivo
Preformative Preformativo
Prejudicative Prejudicativo
Prelusive Prelusivo
Premeditative Premeditativo
Prepartive Prepartivo
Preparative Preparativo
Prepositive Prepositivo
Prerogative Prerogativo
Prescriptive Prescriptivo
Presentative Presentativo
Presentive Presentivo
Preservative Preservativo
Presumptive Presuntivo different spelling
Pretentative Pretentativo
Preventative Preventativo
Preventive Preventivo
Primitive Primitivo
Privative Privativo
Probative Probativo
Procreative Procreativo
Productive Productivo
Profusive Profusivo also profuso
Progressive Progresivo only 1 S
Prohibitive Prohibitivo
Pronunciative Pronunciativo
Propagative Propagativo
Propitiative Propiciativo C for T
Proprioceptive Propioceptivo no R
Propulsive Propulsivo
Proscriptive Proscriptivo
Prospective Prospectivo
Protective Protectivo
Protractive Protractivo
Protrusive Protrusivo
Provocative Provocativo
Punitive Punitivo
Punctuative Puntuativo no C
Purgative Purgativo
Purificative Purificativo
Putative Putativo
Putrefactive Putrefactivo also putrefacto
Qualificative Calificativo C for QU
Qualitative Cualitativo C for Q
Quantitative Cuantitativo C for Q
Quidative Quidativo
Quidditative Quiditativo
Radiative Radiativo
Radioactive Radioactivo
Radiosensitive Radiosensitivo also Radiosensible
Ratiocinative Raciocinativo C for T
Reactive Reactivo
Recapitulative Recapitulativo
Receptive Receptivo
Recessive Recesivo only 1 S
Reciprocative Reciprocativo
Recitative Recitativo
Reclusive Reclusivo
Recollective Recolectivo only 1 L
Recommendative Recomendativo only 1 M
Recompensive Recompensivo
Reconstructive Reconstructivo
Recreative Recreativo
Recuperative Recuperativo
Recusative Recusativo
Redditive Reditivo only 1 D
Reductive Reductivo
Refective Refectivo
Reflective Reflectivo
Reflexive Reflexivo
Reformative Reformativo
Refractive Refractivo
Regenerative Regenerativo
Regressive Regresivo only 1 S
Regulative Regulativo
Reiterative Reiterativo
Relative (adjective) Relativo
Remissive Remisivo only 1 S
Remunerative Remunerativo
Reparative Reparativo
Repercussive Repercusivo only 1 S
Repetitive Repetitivo
Repletive Repletivo
Replicative Replicativo
Reprehensive Reprensivo no HE
Representative Representativo
Repressive Represivo
Reproductive Reproductivo
Repulsive Repulsivo
Requisitive Requisitivo
Rescriptive Rescriptivo
Resentive Resentivo
Reservative Reservativo
Resistive Resistivo
Resolutive Resolutivo
Resorptive Resorbtivo B for P
Respective Respectivo
Respirative Respirativo
Responsive Responsivo
Restitutive Restitutivo
Restrictive Restrictivo
Resultive Resultivo
Resumptive Resumptivo
Resuscitative Resucitativo only 1 S
Retaliative Retaliativo
Retardative Retardativo
Retentive Retentivo
Retortive Retortivo
Retractive Retractivo
Retributive Retributivo
Retroactive Retroactivo
Retrogenerative Retrogenerativo
Retrogressive Retrogresivo only 1 S
Retrooperative Retrooperativo
Retropulsive Retropulsivo
Retrospective Retrospectiva
Reverberative Reverberativo
Revertive Revertivo
Revolutive Revolutivo
Revulsive Revulsivo
Rotative Rotativo
Ruminative Ruminativo
Ruptive Ruptivo
Sanative Sanativo
Seclusive Seclusivo
Sedative Sedativo
Sensitive Sensitivo also sensible
Separative Separativo
Simulative Simulativo
Speculative Especulativo quirk #6
Stimulative Estimulativo quirk #6
Stipulative Estipulativo quirk #6
Stupecative Estupefactivo also Estupefaciente
Suasive Persuasivo different spelling
Subdivisive Subdivisivo
Subordinative Subordinativo
Subscriptive Subscriptivo
Substantiative Sustanciativo no B, C for T
Substantive Sustantivo no B
Substitutive Sustitutivo no B
Subsumptive Subsuntivo N for MP
Successive Sucesivo only 1 C, only 1 S
Suffusive Sufusivo only 1 F
Superconductive Superconductivo
Supersensitive Supersensitivo also Supersensible
Superssesive Supersesivo only 1 S
Suppletive Supletivo only 1 P
Supplicative Suplicativo only 1 P
Supportive Soportivo U for O, only 1 P
Subpositive Subpositivo
Suppressive Supresivo only 1 P, only 1 S
Suppurative Supurativo only 1 P
Susceptive Susceptivo
Suspensive Suspensivo
Sustentative Sustentativo
Temulentive Temulentivo
Terminative Terminativo
Titilative Titilativo
Tolerative Tolerativo
Tortive Tortivo
Totitive Totitivo
Tractive Tractivo
Traditive Traditivo
Transcriptive Transcriptivo
Transformative Transformativo
Transfugitive Transfugitivo
Transfusive Transfusivo
Transgressive Transgresivo only 1 S
Transitive Transitivo
Transmissive Transmisivo only 1 S
Transmutative Transmutativo
Transpositive Transpositivo
Tussive Tusivo only 1 S
Ulcerative Ulcerativo
Ultraconservative Ultraconservativo

For English words with the prefix "un..." (as in unagressive), substitute with "in..." for the Spanish translation (inagresivo).

English Spanish Helpful Reminders
Unagressive Inagresivo only 1 S
Unappreciative Inapreciativo only 1 P
Unargmentative Inargmentativo
Unattractive Inatractivo only 1 T
Unauthoritative Inautoritativo no H
Unconservative Inconservativo also Inconservador
Uncooperative Incooperativo
Unimaginative Inimaginativo
Uninquisitive Noinquisitivo NO for IN
Uninventive Noinventivo NO for IN
Unobtrusive Inobtrusivo
Unoffensive Inofensivo only 1 F
Unreceptive Inreceptivo
Unremunerative Inremunerativo
Unrepresentative Inrepresentativo
Unresponsive Inresponsivo
Unseductive Inseductivo
Unselective Inselectivo
Unspeculative Inespeculativo quirk #6
Unsubmissive Insubmisivo only 1 S
Unsuccessive Insucesivo only 1 C, only 1 S
Unsuggestive Unsugestivo only 1 G
Unaprehensive Inaprensivo no HE
Uncommunicative Incomunicativo only 1 M
Undemonstrative Indemostrativo no N
Undulative Indulativo
Unexpressive Inexpresivo only 1 S
Urinative Orinativo O for U
Usitative Usitativo
Vasifactive Vasifactivo
Vegetative Vegetativo
Vellicative Velicativo only 1 L
Venerative Venerativo also Venerable
Vengative Vengativo
Ventilative Ventilativo
Verificative Verificativo
Vetitive Vetitivo
Vibrative Vibrativo
Vindicative Vindicative
Vindictive Vindictivo
Violative Violativo
Vituperative Vituperativo
Vivicative Vivicativo
Vocative Vocativo
Volitive Volitivo
Vomitive Vomitivo
Votive Votivo

Notable Exceptions:

English Spanish Helpful Reminders
Attentive Atento
Conductive Conducente
Conservative Conservador
Insensitive Insensible
Perversive Perverso
Petrifactive Petrifacto
Photosensitive Fotosensible
Profusive Profuso
Relative (parental) Pariente [cousins, uncles]
Supersensitive Supersensible
Ultraconservative Ultraconservador
Unattentive Inatento

You were not expected to have actually read each and every word example set forth in the preceding chapters! If you have a fairly good command of the English language, you already knew most of the word examples and you had only to learn the Rules that applied to the word endings.
The word examples have been intended only to give you a visual recognition of English words with each of the word endings. If you have learned all of the preceding Rules and have read each of the word examples with the Spanish translations and still have reached this point in the book in twenty minutes, then you deserve recognition and considerable admiration for your skill. You also ought to be on TV!
In the following Chapter, you will find far fewer word examples for each of the twenty-six Minor Rules. You can add several thousand more words to your Spanish vocabulary by learning the Minor Rules. Now that you are no longer racing with the clock to come in under twenty - minutes, you should be able to continue at a more leisurely pace!

"For learning, the eye is more useful than the ear and the mouth is of no use whatsoever."
Ancient Proverb