Grammar Reference

A1 Gender of nouns (El género de los As a general rule, nouns ending in -o are masculine and nouns ending in -a are feminine. However, there are some important exceptions: el día day la mano hand el mapa map la modelo (fashion) model la moto(cicleta) motorbike el poema poem el problema problem el programa programme la radio radio el sistema system el tema topic The following groups of nouns are usually masculine: • nouns ending in -aje or -or el garaje garage el color colour • rivers, seas, mountains, fruit trees, colours, cars, days of the week and points of the compass el Manzanares the (river) Manzanares el Mediterráneo the Mediterranean los Alpes the Alps el manzano apple tree el verde green el BMW BMW el domingo Sunday el norte north The following groups of nouns are usually feminine: • nouns endings in -ión, -dad, -tad, -triz, -tud, -umbre, -anza, -cia, -ie la región region la ciudad town la dificultad difficulty la actriz actress la inquietud concern la muchedumbre crowd la esperanza hope la diferencia difference la serie series • letters of the alphabet la eñe the letter ñ 228l islands and roads las (islas) Canarias the Canary Islands la M50 the M50 Nouns ending in -ista have no separate masculine or feminine form: el/la artista artist el/la periodista journalist