SPANISH NOUNS

Definition: A noun is used to identify a person, place, thing, or idea. In Spanish all nouns are masculine or feminine gender.

Person: Joseluis, boy, dentist
Place: garden, university, Peru
Thing: book, car, magazine
Idea: liberty, fear, intelligence

Gender - Some languages divide nouns according to gender. In Spanish there are two genders: masculine and feminine.

Feminine - Nouns that refer to female beings or that end in -a are usually feminine. Some nouns ending in -a,-dad, -tad, -tud, -ión, -umbre, and -ie are generally feminine.

Examples in Spanish:

the city = la ciudad
the will = la voluntad
the virtue = la virtud
the climate = el clima
the day = el día
the girl = la chica

Masculine - Nouns that refer to male beings or that end in -o are usually masculine.

Examples in Spanish:

the boy = el chico
the male cat = el gato
the book = el libro

:: Also masculine nouns ending in -o change to -a to form the feminine.

the son = el hijo
the daughter = la hija

:: Masculine nouns that refer to people and that end in -or, -és, or -n add -a to form the feminine.

the author = el autor, la autora
the count = el conde
the countess = la condesa

Number - Most nouns have a singular and a plural form. Singular refers to one (only one person, thing while plural refers to more than one.

Examples Singular:

a girl = una chica
the boy = un chico
a country = un país

Examples Plural:

two girls = dos chicas
many countries = muchos países

Countable nouns: are names of anything that can be counted:

one suitcase = una maleta
three envelopes = tres sobres

Uncountable nouns: name what cannot be counted:

wine = vino
aire = air
water = agua