Noun gender: masculine and feminine
A1Grammar path · Lesson 1 of 86 · Stage A1 · Nouns and articles
In Spanish every noun has a gender, masculine or feminine, and you need it from your very first sentence because it decides which article you use. The basic rule: nouns ending in -o are usually masculine (el libro), and nouns ending in -a are usually feminine (la casa). Endings like -ción and -dad are almost always feminine, while many words ending in -ma are masculine (el problema). For objects, gender is just a grammatical label, not about meaning. Learners often mix up gender and articles: gender is a fixed property of the noun, and the article simply follows it. The best habit is to learn every new noun together with its article.
Practise this lesson · 10 sentences
Form
el / un + sustantivo en -ola / una + sustantivo en -ala / una + sustantivo en -ción / -dadel / un + sustantivo en -maWhen to use it
Naming everyday objects
Objects have gender too, usually guessable from the -o or -a ending. Choose the article that matches the noun's gender.
Talking about people and jobs
For people, gender usually follows the person's sex: el doctor, la doctora. Nouns ending in -e or -ista often stay the same and only the article changes.
Special endings and exceptions
Endings -ción and -dad are feminine; many -ma words like problema and idioma are masculine. A few exceptions like el día and la mano must be memorized.
Spelling rules
Nouns ending in -o are usually masculine
el libroel perroel vaso
Nouns ending in -a are usually feminine
la casala mesala playa
Nouns ending in -ción, -sión, -dad, -tad, -tud are feminine
la canciónla ciudadla libertadla actitud
Common exceptions: learn them with the article
el díael mapael problemala manola fotola radio
Signal words
Don't confuse it with
Gender belongs to the noun; the articles el and la only reflect it. Work out the gender first, then choose el or la.
Adjective agreementOnce you know the noun's gender, the adjective must follow it: la casa pequeña, el libro pequeño. Getting the noun's gender wrong makes the adjective wrong too.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if a noun is masculine or feminine?
Look at the ending: -o is usually masculine, while -a, -ción and -dad are usually feminine. For other words, learn them with their article.
Why is it el problema and not la problema?
Many words ending in -ma come from Greek and are masculine, like el problema, el idioma and el tema.
Is la mano feminine?
Yes, la mano is feminine even though it ends in -o. It is an exception, just as el día is masculine.
What gender are nouns ending in -e?
There is no fixed rule: el coche is masculine and la noche is feminine. Learn each one with its article.
Is the gender of objects related to meaning?
No, for objects gender is just a grammatical label. La mesa is not feminine in meaning; the word is simply feminine.