Nouns and articles · Spanish grammar A2

The gender of nouns: el problema, el mapa, el color#

Formation

Some nouns have a gender that cannot be told from their ending. Nouns in -ma of Greek origin are masculine: el problema, el programa, el idioma. El día and el mapa are masculine although they end in -a; la mano is feminine although it ends in -o. Other endings show the gender: nouns in -aje and most nouns in -or are masculine (el viaje, el garaje; el color, el calor, el dolor, but la flor); nouns in -dad and -tad are feminine: la ciudad, la verdad, la libertad.

Nouns of people. Nouns in -ista and many nouns in -e or -nte have one form, and the article shows the sex: el artista, la artista; el taxista, la taxista; el cantante, la cantante. Other pairs are two different words (el padre, la madre; el hombre, la mujer), or have a feminine of their own (“The feminine of nouns and adjectives: actriz, trabajadora, canadiense”).

El programa de esta noche es muy interesante.Tonight's programme is very interesting.
¿Cuántos idiomas hablas?How many languages do you speak?
El viaje a Granada fue largo.The journey to Granada was long.
La taxista conoce bien la ciudad.The taxi driver knows the city well.

Difference from English

English nouns have no gender, so the gender of each Spanish noun is learnt with its article. The ending is a guide but not a rule: “problem”, “programme” and “map” are masculine in Spanish (el problema, el programa, el mapa) although they end in -a, and “hand” is feminine (la mano) although it ends in -o. The article and the adjective agree with the Spanish gender: un problema difícil, la mano derecha. A noun in -ista (“artist”, “taxi driver”) has one form for a man and a woman, as in English, and only the article changes: el artista, la artista.

Common mistakes

~~una problema~~ → un problemaNouns in -ma of Greek origin are masculine.
~~la mapa~~ → el mapaMapa is masculine, although it ends in -a.
~~el ciudad~~ → la ciudadNouns in -dad are feminine.

Practise

“Nouns and articles: gender, the article and quantity”, The gender of nouns: el problema, la mano, el artista

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The feminine of nouns and adjectives: actriz, trabajadora, canadiense#

Formation

Nouns and adjectives in -or and -dor add -a in the feminine: profesor → profesora, pintor → pintora, trabajador → trabajadora, encantador → encantadora. A few nouns have a feminine of their own: el actor → la actriz. Adjectives of nationality in -ense and -í have one form for both genders: canadiense, marroquí. Adjectives in -e also have one form: alegre, amable.

Ending	Masculine	Feminine
-or, -dor	trabajador, pintor	trabajadora, pintora
feminine of its own	actor	actriz
nationality in a consonant	inglés, alemán	inglesa, alemana
-ense, -í	canadiense, marroquí	canadiense, marroquí
-e	alegre	alegre

Mi abuela es una mujer muy trabajadora.My grandmother is a very hard-working woman.
Penélope Cruz es una actriz española.Penélope Cruz is a Spanish actress.
Tengo una amiga canadiense.I have a Canadian friend.
Tu hermana es muy alegre.Your sister is very cheerful.

Difference from English

An English adjective has one form: “hard-working”, “English”, “Canadian” describe a man and a woman alike. In Spanish, an adjective in -or or -dor and an adjective of nationality ending in a consonant take -a in the feminine: un chico trabajador, una chica trabajadora; un amigo inglés, una amiga inglesa, where the written accent is dropped. Only adjectives in -e, -ense and -í keep one form, as in English: una amiga canadiense.

Common mistakes

~~una chica trabajador~~ → una chica trabajadoraAdjectives in -dor add -a in the feminine.
~~una profesora inglés~~ → una profesora inglesaAn adjective of nationality ending in a consonant adds -a in the feminine, and the written accent is dropped.
~~la actora~~ → la actrizThe feminine of actor is actriz.
~~una profesora canadiensa~~ → una profesora canadienseAdjectives in -ense have one form.

Practise

“Nouns and articles: gender, the article and quantity”, Feminines in -triz, -ora and -e: actriz, trabajadora

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Nouns that do not change in the plural: los lunes, las gafas#

Formation

Nouns of more than one syllable ending in an unstressed -s do not change in the plural: el lunes, los lunes; el paraguas, los paraguas; el cumpleaños, los cumpleaños. The article, the adjective and the verb show the number: dos paraguas negros. Nouns of one syllable and nouns stressed on the last syllable add -es: el mes, los meses; el autobús, los autobuses.

Nouns used in the plural. Some objects made of two parts are usually named in the plural: las gafas, las tijeras, los pantalones, los vaqueros. The verb and the adjective are then plural (Mis gafas son nuevas), and “a pair of trousers” is unos pantalones.

Los martes tengo clase de inglés.On Tuesdays I have an English class.
En casa tenemos tres paraguas.We have three umbrellas at home.
¿Dónde están mis gafas de sol?Where are my sunglasses?
Para la fiesta necesito unos pantalones negros.I need a pair of black trousers for the party.

Difference from English

“On Tuesdays”, for a habit, is los martes, with the article and no preposition; “on Tuesday”, for one day, is el martes. Paraguas and cumpleaños end in -s in the singular: “an umbrella” is un paraguas, “my birthday” mi cumpleaños. As in English, “glasses”, “scissors” and “trousers” are plural, and the verb is plural too: Mis gafas son nuevas.

Common mistakes

~~los cumpleañoses~~ → los cumpleañosA noun of more than one syllable ending in an unstressed -s does not change.
~~un paragua~~ → un paraguasParaguas ends in -s in the singular too.
~~Tengo clase en los martes.~~ → Tengo clase los martes.“On Tuesdays” is los martes, with no preposition.
~~Mis gafas es nueva.~~ → Mis gafas son nuevas.Gafas is plural, and so are the verb and the adjective.

Practise

“Nouns and articles: gender, the article and quantity”, Nouns that do not change in the plural: los lunes, las gafas

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The definite article: el agua, juego al tenis, me duele la cabeza#

Formation

Before a feminine noun beginning with a stressed a or ha, the singular definite article is el: el agua, el aula, el hambre. The noun is still feminine: the adjective agrees in the feminine (el agua fría), and the plural takes las (las aulas). When the first a is not stressed, the article is la: la abuela, la amiga.

Use

The definite article is used:

before a noun taken in general, where English has no article: El deporte es bueno para el corazón, Me encanta la música;
after jugar a, before the name of a game or a sport: Juego al fútbol, Jugamos a las cartas;
before a thing known to everybody or present: Cierra la puerta, Leo el periódico;
before a part of the body or an item of clothing, where English uses a possessive: Abre la boca, Elena tiene el pelo largo y rubio, Me duelen las muelas;
before señor or señora followed by the name, when the person is spoken about: El señor Ortega trabaja en un banco; it is not used when the person is spoken to: Buenos días, señor Ortega.

When the noun is already known, the article followed by an adjective replaces it: ¿Qué camisa quieres, la blanca o la azul? — La blanca. The indefinite article is used in the same way (“The indefinite article: un aula, unos cincuenta, uno nuevo”). A part of the body with a reflexive verb is presented in “Reflexive verbs and the body: me acuesto, me lavo las manos”.

El agua de este río está muy fría.The water in this river is very cold.
Los domingos mi padre juega al golf.On Sundays my father plays golf.
Los perros necesitan mucho espacio.Dogs need a lot of space.
Mi hermana tiene los ojos azules.My sister has blue eyes.
La señora Gómez vive en el segundo piso.Mrs Gómez lives on the second floor.

Difference from English

English leaves out “the” before a noun taken in general; Spanish uses the article: “dogs need space” is Los perros necesitan espacio, “I love music” Me encanta la música. “Luis's knee hurts” and “my sister has blue eyes” are said with the article, not the possessive: A Luis le duele la rodilla, Mi hermana tiene los ojos azules. “I play golf” is Juego al golf, with a and the article; in most of Latin America jugar is also used with no preposition and no article (juego golf); jugar al, the form of Spain, is understood everywhere. “Mrs Gómez lives here” takes the article: La señora Gómez vive aquí. “Water” is el agua, with a masculine article before a feminine noun.

Common mistakes

~~la agua~~ → el aguaBefore a stressed a, the feminine singular article is el.
~~el agua frío~~ → el agua fríaAgua is still feminine, and so is the adjective.
~~Me gusta música.~~ → Me gusta la música.A noun taken in general takes the article.
~~Me duele mi rodilla.~~ → Me duele la rodilla.A part of the body takes the article, not the possessive.
~~Señor Ortega trabaja en un banco.~~ → El señor Ortega trabaja en un banco.When the person is spoken about, señor takes the article.

Practise

“Gustar and verbs like it: te gusta, me encanta, me duele”, Saying what hurts: me duele, me duelen “Nouns and articles: gender, the article and quantity”, El before a stressed a: el agua, un aula “Nouns and articles: gender, the article and quantity”, The definite article: juego al tenis, cierra la puerta

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The indefinite article: un aula, unos cincuenta, uno nuevo#

Formation

Before a feminine noun beginning with a stressed a or ha, the singular indefinite article is usually un: un aula, un hada; una aula is not wrong, but un is the usual and recommended form. The noun is still feminine: un aula pequeña, unas aulas. When the noun is left out, un takes its full form uno: un coche nuevo, but Quiero uno nuevo; in the feminine, una does not change: una nueva.

Use

Before a number, unos and unas mean “about”: unos cincuenta euros, unas veinte personas. With the indefinite article, the noun left out names any thing of that kind: ¿Tienes un bolígrafo? — Sí, tengo uno rojo.

Mi colegio tiene un aula de música.My school has a music room.
El billete cuesta unos treinta euros.The ticket costs about thirty euros.
Mi móvil es muy viejo: quiero uno nuevo.My mobile is very old: I want a new one.
¿Tienes gafas de sol? — Sí, tengo unas negras.Have you got any sunglasses? — Yes, I've got some black ones.

Difference from English

“One” after an adjective is not translated: “a new one” is uno nuevo, “a red one” uno rojo, “some black ones” unas negras, with uno standing for both “a” and “one” and the adjective placed after it. “About thirty” is unos treinta, with the article agreeing with the noun: unas treinta personas.

Common mistakes

~~Quiero un rojo.~~ → Quiero uno rojo.With no noun after it, un takes the form uno.
~~Quiero un nuevo uno.~~ → Quiero uno nuevo.“A new one” is uno nuevo: uno stands for “a” and “one”, and the adjective comes after it.
~~un aula pequeño~~ → un aula pequeñaAula is still feminine, and the adjective agrees in the feminine.

Practise

“Nouns and articles: gender, the article and quantity”, El before a stressed a: el agua, un aula “Nouns and articles: gender, the article and quantity”, The article or none: es abogada, bebe café, unos cincuenta “Possessives and demonstratives: mío, el mío, este año”, Leaving out the noun: el nuevo, una nueva

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Nouns without an article: es abogada, es una abogada muy buena#

Use

At level A1, a noun is used with no article after ser for a job, for an unstated quantity, and after tener for a thing one normally has only one of. Level A2 adds two details:

as soon as an adjective describes the noun, the article is used again: Es abogada, but Es una abogada muy buena; Tengo coche, but Tengo un coche nuevo;
a countable noun in the singular is used with no article only after a verb such as tener, llevar or buscar, for a thing one has or has not: ¿Llevas paraguas?, Buscamos piso. After sin, the noun is also used with no article: café sin azúcar.

Mi tío es cocinero.My uncle is a cook.
Mi tío es un cocinero muy famoso.My uncle is a very famous cook.
¿Tienes bicicleta? — Sí, tengo una bicicleta roja.Have you got a bike? — Yes, I've got a red bike.
Hoy no llevo reloj.I'm not wearing a watch today.
Bebo el té sin azúcar.I drink my tea without sugar.

Difference from English

English puts “a” before a job (“she's a lawyer”); Spanish uses no article, Es abogada, until an adjective describes the noun: “she's a very good lawyer” is Es una abogada muy buena. “Have you got a car?” and “I'm not wearing a watch” are said with no article either: ¿Tienes coche?, No llevo reloj.

Common mistakes

~~Es una abogada.~~ → Es abogada.After ser, a job takes no article.
~~Es abogada muy buena.~~ → Es una abogada muy buena.With an adjective that describes the noun, the article is used again.

Practise

“Nouns and articles: gender, the article and quantity”, The article or none: es abogada, bebe café, unos cincuenta

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All, other, too much: todo el día, mis otros amigos, demasiada gente#

Formation

Todo agrees in gender and number with the noun and is placed before the article, the possessive or the demonstrative: todo el día, toda la noche, todos mis amigos, todas estas casas. Otro agrees (otro, otra, otros, otras), is used without the indefinite article and is placed after the possessive: otro té, mis otras hermanas. Demasiado agrees before a noun (demasiada gente, demasiados coches) and does not change before an adjective or after a verb: demasiado caro, Comes demasiado.

Use

Todos los and todas las followed by a plural noun express a habit: todos los días, todas las mañanas. Todo alone means “everything” (¿Qué quieres? — Todo.), and todos “everybody”: Todos vamos a la fiesta. Otra vez means “again”. Demasiado means “too”, “too much” or “too many”.

Gente. Gente (“people”) is a feminine singular noun, and the verb and the adjective agree in the singular: La gente de mi pueblo es muy amable, Hay mucha gente.

Ayer llovió todo el día.It rained all day yesterday.
Voy a la piscina todos los jueves.I go to the swimming pool every Thursday.
Mis otros primos viven en Cádiz.My other cousins live in Cádiz.
Hay demasiados coches en el centro.There are too many cars in the centre.
Este hotel es demasiado caro.This hotel is too expensive.

Difference from English

“Every day” is todos los días, and “all day” todo el día: the plural expresses a habit, the singular the whole of one day. “Too much” and “too many” are one word, demasiado, which agrees with the noun (demasiada agua, demasiados coches); “too” before an adjective is demasiado, which does not change. “People” is plural in English but gente is singular: “people are very friendly here” is La gente es muy amable aquí.

Common mistakes

~~todos días~~ → todos los díasTodo is placed before the article.
~~Hay demasiado gente.~~ → Hay demasiada gente.Before a noun, demasiado agrees with it.
~~Estos zapatos son demasiados caros.~~ → Estos zapatos son demasiado caros.Before an adjective, demasiado does not change.
~~La gente son simpáticos.~~ → La gente es simpática.Gente is a feminine singular noun.

Practise

“Nouns and articles: gender, the article and quantity”, All and every: todo el día, todos mis amigos “Nouns and articles: gender, the article and quantity”, Another, too much, too many: otro café, demasiada gente

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First and third: el primer piso, el primero#

Formation

At level A1, primero and tercero become primer and tercer before a masculine singular noun: el primer día. The full form is used in the feminine, in the plural and when the noun is left out: la primera vez, los primeros días, Diego es el primero.

→ See also: First and third: el primer piso, el primero (A1)

Es mi primer viaje a Perú.It's my first trip to Peru.
Mi hermana llegó la primera.My sister arrived first.
Vivimos en el tercer piso.We live on the third floor.
Es la primera vez que viajo en avión.It's the first time I've travelled by plane.

Difference from English

“First” and “third” have one form in English. In Spanish, primero becomes primer and tercero becomes tercer before a masculine singular noun, but not elsewhere: el primero, la tercera. “Arrived first” is said with the article: llegó la primera, llegó el primero.

Common mistakes

~~Llegó el primer.~~ → Llegó el primero.With no noun after it, the full form primero is used.
~~la primer vez~~ → la primera vezIn the feminine, the form is full.
~~Vivo en el tercero piso.~~ → Vivo en el tercer piso.Before a masculine singular noun, tercero becomes tercer.

Practise

“Nouns and articles: gender, the article and quantity”, First and third: el primer piso

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Nothing, nobody, never: no viene nadie#

Formation

Nada (“nothing”), nadie (“nobody”) and nunca (“never”) are placed after the verb, with no before the verb: No quiero nada, No viene nadie, No voy nunca. Placed before the verb, they are used without no: Nadie viene, Nunca voy. Alone, they answer a question: ¿Qué has comprado? — Nada.

Nadie is followed by a singular verb; as a direct object, it is preceded by a, like a person: No conozco a nadie.

No hay nada en la nevera.There's nothing in the fridge.
Nadie sabe dónde está Pablo.Nobody knows where Pablo is.
No he estado nunca en Asia.I've never been to Asia.
En la calle no veo a nadie.I can't see anybody in the street.

Difference from English

Standard English uses one negative word in a sentence (“I don't want anything”, “I want nothing”); Spanish uses two when the negative word comes after the verb: No quiero nada, No veo a nadie. After no, “anything” is nada and “anybody” is nadie, not algo or alguien. Before the verb, the negative word is used alone, as in English: “nobody is coming” is Nadie viene, “I never go” Nunca voy.

Common mistakes

~~Viene nadie.~~ → No viene nadie.After the verb, nadie is used with no before the verb.
~~No he comprado algo.~~ → No he comprado nada.After no, “anything” is nada.
~~Nadie no viene.~~ → Nadie viene.Before the verb, nadie is used without no.
~~No veo nadie.~~ → No veo a nadie.As a direct object, nadie is preceded by a.

In short

Point	Rule	Example
Greek -ma, -aje, -or	masculine	el problema, el viaje, el color
-dad, -tad	feminine	la ciudad, la libertad
-or, -dor	-a in the feminine	trabajadora
-ense, -í, -e	one form	canadiense, alegre
no change in the plural	more than one syllable, unstressed -s	los lunes, los paraguas
el before a stressed a	the noun is still feminine	el agua fría
definite article	in general; jugar al; body; el señor	Juego al tenis.
uno	with no noun after it	Quiero uno nuevo.
unos + number	about	unos treinta euros
no article	except with a describing adjective	Es médico. Es un médico muy bueno.
todo	before the article, the possessive	todos los días
otro, demasiado	agree; otro without un	otra vez, demasiada gente
primer, tercer	before a masculine singular noun	el primer día, el tercer piso
nada, nadie, nunca	no + verb + word, or word + verb	No viene nadie. Nadie viene.

Practise

“Nouns and articles: gender, the article and quantity”, Nothing, nobody, never: no viene nadie

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