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 course | el laboratorio laboratory | el estadio 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 mapa map | el planeta planet |
| el drama drama | el poema poem | el problema problem | el sistema system |
| el programa program |
Femenino Feminine
- MOST nouns that end in -a are feminine
| la biblioteca library | la cafetería cafeteria | la librearía 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 |
|
To make a noun plural add-s if it ends in a vowel Remember |
Escríbelo…
Write your answers in a Word document 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)
