Gender & Number

Every noun in Spanish has a gender, and adjectives, articles, and some pronouns must agree with that gender. Likewise, nouns and their modifiers change form to reflect number, so attention to gender and number ensures clear and natural sentences.

Gender

Nouns are typically masculine or feminine; masculine nouns often end in -o and feminine in -a, but there are many exceptions and some nouns end in other letters. Articles and adjectives must match the noun's gender to agree grammatically.

Masculine

Masculine nouns usually end in -o and take masculine articles like el and adjectives that end in -o when describing them. Some nouns that end in other letters are also masculine, so it helps to learn common examples.

Spanish Example	English Translation
🧑‍🍳 El chef preparó la cena.	The chef prepared the dinner.
🛶 El guía indicó la ruta.	The guide indicated the route.
🌅 El turista tomó fotos al amanecer.	The tourist took photos at sunrise.
🔥 El faro iluminó la costa.	The lighthouse lit up the coast.
🐬 El delfín saltó cerca del barco.	The dolphin jumped near the boat.

Feminine

Feminine nouns typically end in -a and take feminine articles like la and adjectives that end in -a when describing them. There are feminine nouns that end in other letters, so paying attention to the article can help identify gender.

Spanish Example	English Translation
👩‍🍳 La chef decoró el plato.	The chef decorated the plate.
🚩 La guía señaló el sendero.	The guide pointed out the trail.
🌇 La turista fotografió el atardecer.	The tourist photographed the sunset.
🗼 La torre faro brilló en la noche.	The lighthouse tower shone at night.
🦀 La gaviota cuidó su nido en la playa.	The seagull cared for its nest on the beach.

Exceptions

Some nouns end in -a but are masculine, like el día, and some end in -o but are feminine, like la mano. Nouns that begin with a stressed a sound can take el even if they are feminine, such as el agua. These exceptions must be memorized.

Spanish Example	English Translation	Note
🌾 El día de la cosecha fue perfecto.	The day of the harvest was perfect.	Masculine noun ending in -a
🧺 La mano ayudó a cargar las canastas.	The hand helped carry the baskets.	Feminine noun irregular
🐍 La serpiente cruzó el camino.	The snake crossed the path.	Ends in -e, feminine
🛶 El puente unió las orillas.	The bridge connected the shores.	Ends in -e, masculine

Number

Nouns and their modifiers change form to show whether they are singular or plural. Plurals are usually formed by adding -s or -es, and articles and adjectives must also change to agree in number for the sentence to be grammatically correct and clear.

Forming Plurals

To form plurals, add -s if the noun ends in a vowel, and add -es if it ends in a consonant; nouns that end in -z change to -ces. Articles change from el to los and la to las, and adjectives take the plural form to match the noun.

Spanish Example	English Translation
🍓 Las frutas están sobre la manta.	The fruits are on the blanket.
🥖 Los panes se enfriaron en la cesta.	The breads cooled on the basket.
🌳 Los árboles rodean el campamento.	The trees surround the campsite.
🐚 Las conchas brillan en la arena.	The shells shine on the sand.
🏕️ Los refugios se llenaron de viajeros.	The shelters filled with travelers.

Agreement

Adjectives and articles must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. This agreement helps listeners identify which words belong together and maintains grammatical consistency throughout the sentence.

Spanish Example	English Translation
🧺 La cesta roja está llena de frutas.	The red basket is full of fruit.
🥾 Los zapatos cómodos son esenciales.	The comfortable shoes are essential.
🛶 El barco rápido cruzó la bahía.	The fast boat crossed the bay.
🌸 Las flores coloridas alegraron la mesa.	The colorful flowers brightened the table.
🗺️ Los mapas detallados ayudaron a planear.	The detailed maps helped to plan.

Summary

In short, learn the gender of nouns so you can match articles and adjectives correctly, watch out for common exceptions, and change endings to show number when forming plurals. Practicing with real examples makes these patterns intuitive and improves both clarity and fluency in Spanish.

Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025