Gender of nouns
Every Spanish noun is masculine or feminine. The ending usually tells you which, and the article and adjectives must match.
| ending | gender | examples |
|---|---|---|
| -o | masculine | el libro, el vaso |
| -a | feminine | la casa, la mesa |
| -ción, -sión, -dad, -tad, -tud | feminine | la estación, la ciudad, la libertad |
| -or, -aje, -ma (Greek words) | masculine | el color, el viaje, el problema |
| -e or consonant | learn it | el coche, la noche, el árbol, la flor |
Exceptions to know
- Masculine in -a: el día, el mapa, el idioma, el sofá.
- Feminine in -o: la mano, la foto (fotografía), la moto (motocicleta), la radio.
- People: el chico / la chica, el profesor / la profesora, el / la estudiante.
Examples
- El problema es la hora.The problem is the time.
- Tengo un día libre.I have a day off.
- La canción es muy bonita.The song is very nice.
- Lávate las manos.Wash your hands.
- El mapa está encima de la mesa.The map is on the table.
Common mistakes
- ✗ la problema✓ el problemaProblema is masculine: many nouns in -ma come from Greek and are masculine, although they end in -a.
- ✗ el mano✓ la manoMano is feminine although it ends in -o. English has no gender, so every exception must be memorised.
- ✗ el persona✓ la personaPersona is always feminine, even for a man. English assigns gender by meaning, Spanish by the word.
- ✗ la mapa✓ el mapaMapa follows the same pattern as problema: masculine despite the final -a.
- ✗ el leche✓ la lecheEnglish “milk” has no gender, so nothing warns you here: leche is feminine and takes la.