Gender agreement in Spanish ensures that adjectives, articles, and other modifiers match the gender (masculine or feminine) of the nouns they describe.
In Spanish, every noun has a gender—either masculine or feminine. This gender assignment affects not only the noun itself but also all the words that modify or refer to it, such as articles, adjectives, and pronouns. These words must “agree” with the noun in gender (and number), meaning they change their endings accordingly.
Rules for Gender Agreement
Here are the basic rules for gender agreement in Spanish:
- Masculine words often end in -o, -or, or a consonant.
- Feminine words often end in -a, -ora, or -ción/-sión.
When an adjective or article modifies a noun, it must use the masculine or feminine form:
| Rule | Example (Singular) | Example (Plural) |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine singular | el gato negro | los gatos negros |
| Feminine singular | la gata negra | las gatas negras |
Which endings are commonly masculine and which are feminine?
Masculine: -o, -or, consonant; Feminine: -a, -ora, -ción/-sión
Masculine nouns often end in -o, -or, or a consonant, while feminine nouns often end in -a, -ora, or the suffixes -ción/-sión.
How to Identify Noun Gender
While many nouns follow the -o (masculine) and -a (feminine) pattern, there are exceptions. Here are some tips:
- Nouns ending in -ción, -sión, -dad, -tad, -umbre are usually feminine (e.g., la canción, la ciudad).
- Nouns ending in -ma (from Greek) are often masculine (e.g., el problema, el sistema).
- Some nouns referring to people change ending based on gender: amigo / amiga, profesor / profesora.
If you’re unsure, consult a dictionary!
Examples of Gender Agreement
Here are some examples showing articles and adjectives agreeing with masculine and feminine nouns:
| Masculine Example | Feminine Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| el perro pequeño | la perra pequeña | the small dog |
| un libro interesante | una historia interesante | an interesting book / story |
| los chicos altos | las chicas altas | the tall boys / girls |
Gender Agreement with Articles
Spanish has four definite articles and four indefinite articles that must match the noun’s gender and number:
| Singular | Plural |
|---|---|
| Masculine: el | Masculine: los |
| Feminine: la | Feminine: las |
| Masculine: un | Masculine: unos |
| Feminine: una | Feminine: unas |
Examples:
- el niño / la niña (the boy / the girl)
- un coche / una moto (a car / a motorcycle)
- los libros / las revistas (the books / the magazines)
Gender Agreement with Adjectives
Most Spanish adjectives add -a for feminine and -o for masculine. Plurals add -s or -es:
| Masc. Singular | Fem. Singular | Masc. Plural | Fem. Plural | Example (Masc.) | Example (Fem.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| simpático | simpática | simpáticos | simpáticas | el chico simpático | la chica simpática |
| alto | alta | altos | altas | el hombre alto | la mujer alta |
If an adjective ends in -e or a consonant, it’s usually the same for both genders:
| Singular | Plural | Example (Singular) | Example (Plural) |
|---|---|---|---|
| inteligente | inteligentes | el chico inteligente | los chicos inteligentes |
| feliz | felices | la chica feliz | las chicas felices |
How do adjectives ending in -e or a consonant behave?
They usually stay the same for both genders.
Adjectives ending in -e or a consonant do not change for gender, only for number (singular/plural).
Agreement with Compound Nouns
When a compound noun refers to mixed or unspecified gender groups, the masculine plural is used:
- los niños y niñas (the boys and girls)
- los amigos (group of male and/or female friends)
Conclusion
Gender agreement is a key part of Spanish grammar that ensures sentences are grammatically correct and clear. By matching articles and adjectives to the noun’s gender (and number), you create natural and accurate Spanish sentences.
Keep practicing with different nouns and modifiers to internalize the patterns—and don’t be afraid to consult a dictionary when you encounter new words!
What is the key to mastering gender agreement in Spanish?
Matching articles and adjectives to the noun’s gender and number.
Gender agreement requires that all modifiers (articles, adjectives) match the noun in both gender and number.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
