Gender in Spanish
In Spanish, every noun has a gender, either masculine or feminine. Generally, nouns ending in -o are masculine, and those ending in -a are feminine. However, there are exceptions and other endings that influence gender, such as nouns ending in -ión which are typically feminine. Understanding gender is essential because it affects article and adjective agreement in sentences.
Making Nouns Plural
To form the plural in Spanish, add -s if the noun ends in a vowel and -es if it ends in a consonant. For example, libro (book) becomes libros and flor (flower) becomes flores. When a noun ends in -z, change the z to -c before adding -es, like luz to luces. Articles and adjectives must also change to plural form to match the noun.
Articles and Gender Agreement
Spanish uses definite articles el (masculine singular) and la (feminine singular), which change to los and las respectively in plural. Indefinite articles are un and una for singular and unos and unas for plural. These articles must always agree with the gender and number of the noun they modify.
Adjective Agreement
Adjectives in Spanish must agree in both gender and number with the nouns they describe. For example, niño bueno (good boy) becomes niños buenos for plural masculine, while niña buena becomes niñas buenas. Adjectives often end in -o (masculine) or -a (feminine) but many can end in -e or consonants and still change for plural by adding -s or -es.
Examples of Plurals and Gender
| Spanish Noun (Singular) | Gender | Plural Form | Article Singular | Article Plural | Example Sentence (Singular) | Example Sentence (Plural) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| el libro | Masculine | los libros | el | los | El libro es interesante. (The book is interesting.) | Los libros son interesantes. (The books are interesting.) |
| la mesa | Feminine | las mesas | la | las | La mesa está sucia. (The table is dirty.) | Las mesas están sucias. (The tables are dirty.) |
| el lápiz | Masculine | los lápices | el | los | El lápiz es rojo. (The pencil is red.) | Los lápices son rojos. (The pencils are red.) |
| la canción | Feminine | las canciones | la | las | La canción es bonita. (The song is beautiful.) | Las canciones son bonitas. (The songs are beautiful.) |
Understanding gender and plurals is foundational for mastering Spanish grammar, enabling you to form correct sentences and communicate precisely.
