The Gender of Nouns and the Definite Article
A noun is a person, place, or thing.
In Spanish, all nouns are either masculine or feminine.
The definite article (the) agrees with the noun in gender and number.
| Article | Use |
|---|---|
| el | masculine singular |
| la | feminine singular |
| los | masculine plural |
| las | feminine plural |
Masculine Singular – Basic Rules
- Most nouns ending in -o are masculine: el cuaderno (notebook), el escritorio (desk)
- Many end in other letters: el país (country), el profesor (teacher)
- Some end in -a or -ma: el mapa (map), el tema (theme)
Feminine Singular – Basic Rules
- Most nouns ending in -a are feminine: la playa (beach), la manzana (apple)
- Endings -ción, -sión, -dad, -tad, -tud are feminine: la nación, la decisión, la universidad
- A few -o endings are feminine: la mano (hand), la radio (radio)
- Other endings: la noche (night), la luz (light) – learn with article.
Special Cases: Nouns Ending in -ista or -nte
These can be masculine or feminine; the article indicates the person’s gender.
| Ending | Masculine (el) | Feminine (la) |
|---|---|---|
| -ista | el turista (male tourist) | la turista (female tourist) |
| -nte | el dependiente (male clerk) | la dependiente (female clerk) |
Reminder: Always learn each noun with its definite article (el or la).
Plural Nouns
Forming the Plural of Nouns
| Rule | Example Singular | Example Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Ends in a vowel → add -s | el libro | los libros |
| Ends in a consonant → add -es | el animal | los animales |
The definite article changes accordingly: el → los, la → las.
More examples (masculine and feminine):
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| el día (the day) | los días |
| el problema (the problem) | los problemas |
| la ventana (the window) | las ventanas |
| la canción (the song) | las canciones |
| la ciudad (the city) | las ciudades |
| la mujer (the woman) | las mujeres |
The Indefinite Article
The indefinite article corresponds to a, an, or some in English.
| Singular | Plural | |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | un (a, an) | unos (some) |
| Feminine | una (a, an) | unas (some) |
Singular Indefinite Articles
- un + masculine singular noun: un jardín (a garden), un museo (a museum)
- una + feminine singular noun: una mujer (a woman), una página (a page)
Plural Indefinite Articles
- unos + masculine plural noun: unos libros (some books), unos gatos (some cats)
- unas + feminine plural noun: unas casas (some houses), unas flores (some flowers)
Note: Unos and unas often mean “some” but can also mean “a few.”
Adjectives
An adjective describes a noun.
In Spanish, adjectives agree with the noun in gender and number, and they usually come after the noun.
Singular Form of Adjectives
| Type | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ending in -o | Masculine form; change -o to -a for feminine | el gato negro (black cat), la casa negra (black house) |
| Not ending in -o | One form for both genders | el libro excelente, la comida excelente |
More examples (with different endings):
| Masculine | Feminine |
|---|---|
| el hombre fuerte (strong man) | la mujer fuerte (strong woman) |
| el poema difícil (difficult poem) | la lección difícil (difficult lesson) |
| el coche azul (blue car) | la pluma azul (blue pen) |
Plural Form of Adjectives
| Rule | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Ends in a vowel → add -s | blanco, roja, verde | blancos, rojas, verdes |
| Ends in a consonant → add -es | gris, fácil, joven | grises, fáciles, jóvenes |
Full Agreement Examples
Masculine:
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| el libro blanco (the white book) | los libros blancos |
| el tomate rojo (the red tomato) | los tomates rojos |
| el tren gris (the gray train) | los trenes grises |
Feminine:
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| la casa blanca (the white house) | las casas blancas |
| la lección fácil (the easy lesson) | las lecciones fáciles |
| la muchacha fuerte (the strong girl) | las muchachas fuertes |
Final Reminder
- Always learn nouns with their definite article (el/la) to know the gender.
- Adjectives must match the noun in gender and number.
- When in doubt, place the adjective after the noun.
EXERCISES
(1.1) Definite articles: el / la