Spanish Noun Gender
Spanish nouns are either masculine or feminine. This grammatical gender affects the articles and adjectives that accompany the noun.
Basic Rules
Masculine Nouns
Most nouns ending in -o are masculine:
- • el libro (the book)
- • el gato (the cat)
- • el carro (the car)
Feminine Nouns
Most nouns ending in -a are feminine:
- • la casa (the house)
- • la mesa (the table)
- • la ventana (the window)
Important Exceptions
Masculine words ending in -a
- • el día (the day)
- • el mapa (the map)
- • el problema (the problem)
Feminine words ending in -o
- • la mano (the hand)
- • la foto (the photo)
- • la moto (the motorcycle)
Examples
el libro
the book
Masculine noun ending in -o
la mesa
the table
Feminine noun ending in -a
el problema
the problem
Exception: masculine noun ending in -a
la mano
the hand
Exception: feminine noun ending in -o