Topic 2 Gender and Number of the Nouns
Género y número de los sustantivos (nombres)
A noun is a person, place, or thing. In Spanish, nouns are characterized by
- gender and number;
- in the case of gender, nouns, are NOT perceived by Spanish speakers as having male or female attributes;
- it is just a grammatical feature, masculine or feminine, singular or plural.
Los sustantivos singulares Singular Nouns
Masculino Masculine
MOST nouns that end in -o are masculine
| el curso the course | el laboratorio the laboratory | el estadio the stadium | el horario schedule |
| el amigo friend | el maestro teacher | el baño bathroom | el libro book |
| el teléfono telephone | el teatro
theater |
el gimnasio gym | el escritorio desk |
Exceptions of SOME nouns that do not follow this common rule: many nouns that do not end in -o but are masculine
| el arte art | el semestre semester | el trimestre trimester | el español Spanish |
| el reloj clock | el papel
paper |
el lápiz
pencil |
el examen test/exam |
| el café coffee | el autobús
bus |
el hospital hospital | el hombre
man |
Some nouns that end in -a or -ma that are masculine
| el día
day |
el idioma
language |
el planeta
planet |
| el drama
drama |
el mapa
map |
el poema
poem |
| el programa
program |
el problema
problem |
el sistema
system |
Femenino Feminine
MOST nouns that end in -a are feminine
| la biblioteca library | la cafetería cafeteria | la librería bookstore | la prueba quiz |
| la tarea homework | la geografía geography | la biología biology | la música music |
| la física physics | la pluma pen | la silla chair | la mesa table |
Exceptions of SOME nouns that do not follow this common rule: many nouns that do not end in -a but are feminine
| la clase class | la mujer woman | la luz light | la noche night |
| la mano hand | la suerte luck | la radio radio | la piel skin |
Some nouns that end in -ción, -sión, -dad, -tud or -tad that are feminine
| la lección lesson | la conversación conversation | la universidad university |
| la verdad truth | la actitud attitude | la amistad friendship |
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| la clase | las clases |
| una clase | unas clases |
| la lección | las lecciones |
| una lección | unas lecciones |
| el problema | los problemas |
| un problema | unos problemas |
| la luz | las luces |
| una luz | unas luces |
| la noche | las noches |
| una noche | unas noches |
| el hospital | los hospitales |
| un hospital | unos hospitales |
To make a noun plural:
- add-s if it ends in a vowel, a,e,i,o,u
- la clase = la clases
- add -es if it ends in a consonant
- el hospital = los hospitales
- add -es if it ends in í or ú
- el jabalí = los jabalíes
- add -ces it it ends in -z (eliminate the -z first)
- la luz = las luces
Remember The article must agree with the noun in number as well
Practícalo
Escríbelo…
Write your answers in a Word Doc. or on a page of notebook paper.
I. Write 8 masculine nouns that end in -o.
II. Write 8 feminine nouns that end in -a.
Úsalo…
Write your answers in a Word Doc. or on a page of notebook paper.
I. List 6 things you commonly see in a classroom
II. List 6 things you commonly have in your mochila (backpack)
