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Spanish (Spain) • Level 1 • GRAMMAR

masc / fem

💡 Grammar Rule

Gender of Nouns in Spanish

In Spanish, every noun (person, place, thing, or idea) has a grammatical gender: it is either masculine or feminine. This gender does not necessarily relate to biological sex. It is usually indicated by the word's ending and the article placed before it.

The definite articles (equivalent to "the" in English) are:

  • el for masculine nouns.
  • la for feminine nouns.

1. Masculine Nouns

Most masculine nouns end in -o. This includes words referring to male beings, as well as many objects and abstract concepts.

  • el chico (the boy)
  • el libro (the book)
  • el tiempo (the time/weather)

Other Common Masculine Endings:

Nouns ending in -or, -aje, -án, and -ambre are typically masculine.

  • el amor (the love)
  • el garaje (the garage)
  • el calambre (the cramp)

Important Exceptions (Greek Origin):

Many words that end in -a are actually masculine. These are often words of Greek origin ending in -ma, -pa, -ta, -ema, or -oma.

  • el problema (the problem)
  • el sistema (the system)
  • el mapa (the map)
  • el planeta (the planet)

2. Feminine Nouns

Most feminine nouns end in -a. This applies to female beings and most objects ending in this letter.

  • la chica (the girl)
  • la casa (the house)

Important Exception:

One very common exception is the word for "hand," which is feminine despite ending in -o.

  • la mano (the hand)

Other Common Feminine Endings:

Nouns ending in -ción, -sión, -dad, -tad, -tud, -umbre, -ie, -eza, -sis, and -itis are almost always feminine.

  • la canción (the song)
  • la ciudad (the city)
  • la libertad (the freedom)
  • la costumbre (the custom/habit)
  • la crisis (the crisis)

3. Nouns Ending in -e or Consonants

Nouns that end in -e or other consonants do not follow a strict pattern and must be memorized individually.

Masculine examples:

  • el cine (the cinema)
  • el coche (the car)
  • el mes (the month)
  • el lápiz (the pencil)

Feminine examples:

  • la clase (the class)
  • la noche (the night)
  • la miel (the honey)
  • la vez (the time/occasion)

4. Contractions with "El"

When the prepositions a (to) or de (of/from) are followed by the masculine article el, they combine to form a contraction. This does not happen with la, los, or las.

  • a + el = al (to the)
  • de + el = del (of the / from the)
  • Voy al cine. (I am going to the cinema.)
  • Vengo del supermercado. (I come from the supermarket.)

Note: These contractions are not used if "El" is part of a proper name (e.g., de El Escorial).

Where is the boy?
¿Dónde está el chico?
The boy is with the girl.
El chico está con la chica.
Is the book interesting?
¿Es interesante el libro?
Yes, and the table is full of books.
Sí, y la mesa está llena de libros.
Do you see the problem?
¿Ves el problema?
No, the system works well.
No, el sistema funciona bien.
Where is the map?
¿Dónde está el mapa?
The map is on the sofa.
El mapa está en el sofá.
How is the climate here?
¿Qué tal es el clima aquí?
The climate is very hot.
El clima es muy caluroso.
The day is beautiful.
El día es precioso.
Yes, the planet is wonderful.
Sí, el planeta es maravilloso.
The station is far.
La estación está lejos.
We need the information.
Necesitamos la información.
Is this the truth?
¿Es esta la verdad?
Yes, freedom is important.
Sí, la libertad es importante.
The city is very big.
La ciudad es muy grande.
Yes, but the university is small.
Sí, pero la universidad es pequeña.
Is the car new?
¿Es nuevo el coche?
No, the car is old.
No, el coche es viejo.
The class is boring.
La clase es aburrida.
But the people are nice.
Pero la gente es simpática.
Turn on the light, please.
Enciende la luz, por favor.
I can't, I don't have the key.
No puedo, no tengo la llave.
Does your hand hurt?
¿Te duele la mano?
Yes, the right hand.
Sí, la mano derecha.
The trip is long.
El viaje es largo.
But the landscape is green.
Pero el paisaje es verde.
The heat is terrible today.
El calor es terrible hoy.
I'm going to the dining room.
Me voy al comedor.
Are you going to the cinema?
¿Vas al cine?
No, I'm going to the park.
No, voy al parque.
Is that the neighbor’s dog?
¿Es ese el perro del vecino?
No, it’s the teacher’s cat.
No, es el gato del profesor.
The pencil is broken.
El lápiz está roto.
Use the pen.
Usa el bolígrafo.
The custom is strange.
La costumbre es extraña.
The crowd is noisy.
La muchedumbre es ruidosa.
This series is funny.
Esta serie es divertida.
Yes, the surface is smooth.
Sí, la superficie es lisa.
Nature is wise.
La naturaleza es sabia.
Yes, beauty is everywhere.
Sí, la belleza está en todas partes.
The tree is tall.
El árbol es alto.
And the flower is red.
Y la flor es roja.
The exam is difficult.
El examen es difícil.
The topic is complex.
El tema es complejo.
The attitude is everything.
La actitud lo es todo.
Yes, virtue is good.
Sí, la virtud es buena.
The crisis is serious.
La crisis es grave.
But the analysis is correct.
Pero el análisis es correcto.

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