Easy Ways to Learn Noun Gender in Spanish - Busuu (2024)

How is gender used with nouns in Spanish?

Wondering how to decide if a noun is feminine or masculine? Which article do you use for a feminine noun or adjective ending? No worries! ¡Esta lección no es imposible! This lesson is not impossible!

Let’s review what you already know about nouns. Nouns are words that name people, animals, plants, objects, feelings and ideas. The first thing to take into account is that nouns in Spanish have a gender: feminine or masculine, but they can also be singular or plural.

So every word for a person, place, thing or idea is either masculine or feminine. This can be confusing, but it’s necessary and worthy of learning to avoid embarrassing slip-ups when speaking in Spanish.

How to spot Spanish feminine and masculine nouns

Feminine and masculine nouns in Spanish have specific endings. This will make things easier for you to identify if a noun is feminine or masculine. All nouns are split into these two genders in Spanish.

Feminine noun endings

Spanish noun endings -a, -ción, -ía, or -dad, -ed, -id, -od, -eza and -is are usually feminine.

Here are some examples of each noun ending:

Nouns ending in -a

• La tristeza (sadness)
• La casa ( the house)
• La vecina (the neighbour)

Nouns ending in -ción which is equivalent to -tion in English.

• La canción (the song)
• La purificación (the purifying)
• La legislación (the legislation)

Nouns ending in -ía, -ie-

• Geografía (geography)
• Caligrafía (calligraphy)
• La intemperie (the outdoor)

Nouns ending in -ad, -ed, -id, -ud

• La ciudad (the city)
• La verdad (the truth)
• La sed (the thirst)
• La pared (the wall)
• La salud (health)

Nouns ending in -ez,-eza, -iz

• La niñez (the childhood)
• Solidez (solidity)
• La nariz (the nose)

Nouns ending in -is

• La crisis (crisis)
• Tendinitis (tendinitis)
• Apendicitis (appendicitis)

Exceptions when using Spanish feminine nouns

Watch out! ¡Cuidado! There are some exceptions…

While most l Spanish nouns that end in -o are masculine, some feminine nouns also end in -o:

• La foto (the picture)
• La mano (the hand)

There are also some masculine nouns which use feminine noun endings:

Masculine nouns that end in -d.

• El ataúd (the coffin)
• El césped (the grass)
• El huésped (the guest)

Masculine nouns that end in -is

• El arcoíris (the rainbow)
• Bisturís (scalpels)
• Grafitis (graffiti)